


So, This Is Love

by 02_ladyrazeli



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-01
Updated: 2019-12-24
Packaged: 2019-12-30 16:01:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 98,350
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18318587
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/02_ladyrazeli/pseuds/02_ladyrazeli
Summary: Snow and Ruby get tired of Emma drooling over Regina, and finally push her to go ask the Mayor out with help from Henry.  Can Emma win the heart of a Queen or will someone intervene and destroy their happiness.





	1. Chapter One

So, This Is Love

By

Lady Razeli

Chapter One

 “Emma earth to Emma,” Snow called snapping her fingers in front of Emma’s face. Emma shook her head as Regina exited Granny’s again with Henry in tow. It was after school, but Henry hadn’t seen as they stopped in for quick hot chocolates before going to the comic book store. Emma refused to take him because she didn’t want him to ask her for her hard-earned cash to go to expensive comic books. He could beg Regina for the expensive ones and on his birthday or Christmas he could slip a cheaper one on his list to Santa Emma, but otherwise as far as she was concerned that was all Regina.

                “What I’m sorry you were saying?” Emma asked.

                “I was saying if you don’t stop staring at Regina like a creep, she’s going to get the wrong idea,” Snow said. A part of her was upset in the beginning, but Emma had been making eyes at Regina and denying it since before the curse broke only a year ago.

                “What do you mean, I don’t stare at her,” Emma denied. Snow looked at her as if she might smack Emma. “What do you even mean the wrong idea anyway.”

                “I mean that she’s going to assume that you wanna rape her,” Snow said. Emma looked horrified.

                “Oh my God I would never touch her without her consent,” Emma cried.

                “So, are you saying you would with consent?” Ruby asked popping up. Emma blushed.

                “No... I mean…” Emma just fell silent not knowing what to say.

                “Just give it up, and finally go ask her out, we’re tired of you making sex eyes at her behind her back,” Ruby told her.  Emma was about to argue, but then her shoulders slumped she really had no defense and they were already calling bullshit.

                “Regina hates me, what if she says no?” Emma asked them. 

                “Maybe she’s into it,” Ruby said. “I mean I’m always for taking a chance on love, but to be honest I have never seen her interested in women.” Emma just looked ready to cry. “BUT…but what do we know, Regina is super private, and there was no way she was getting with any of us during the curse.”

                “Maybe she hated my father so much, that girls don’t sound so bad?” Snow asked shrugging as she sipped her drink.

                “You guys aren’t helping at all,” Emma groaned. The bell dinged again, and Henry came back in alone this time, carrying a comic book and his hot chocolate. He hurried straight over to them.

                “Hi Grandma, hi Emma!” He greeted. “Mom said you have to watch me, she had an emergency at work, she said you can come over for dinner, so you aren’t tempted to feed me crap before she gets home.” Ruby and Snow snickered knowing that Emma was prone to letting Henry eat junk.

                “No problem kid,” Emma told him as she moved over.

                “OH!” Ruby exclaimed.

                “What?” They all asked.

                “Henry you know everything there is to know about your mom, right?” Ruby asked. Emma groaned. Henry shrugged.

                “Better than anyone else here I suppose,” Henry replied. Snow and Ruby nodded.

                “So, you’d know if Regina was seeing anyone?” Snow asked slyly.  Henry’s face scrunched up in confusion.

                “What do you mean seeing someone, Mom sees everyone, she’s not blind,” Henry replied. Emma had to chuckle, it was so Regina in his reply. Snow pursed her lips for a moment probably also thinking he was so Regina.

                “No, I mean is she dating anyone, or has she ever dated anyone?” Snow asked. He shrugged.

                “Not at the moment I think she would tell me now, we don’t keep secrets, and I think she dated Sheriff Graham before, but to be honest I was never really sure,” Henry said. “But I think they were friends, mostly they had a really angry game of monopoly going on. Graham always tipped the board at the end, so no one ever won.”

                “Are you sure it was monopoly?” Ruby asked trying not to snicker obviously thinking it was some lie to cover for loud sex.

                “Very, I came down once in the middle from a bad dream and asked if I could play, but they both said no, that there was enough bad blood in the room. He claimed mom cheated, but when I watched I was pretty sure he was just a bad loser. I want to play with her now, but mom says we’re both sore losers and we’ve argued enough over the past year, she said she had never been the Evil Queen to me, and if we played, she would show me no mercy.” They laughed.

                “I bet she did cheat, she had his heart,” Emma grumbled. “I bet she couldn’t beat me.”

                “Oooh I’m down for game night,” Ruby said. “This I have to see.”

                “Count me in, Henry text your mom and tell her we’re having game night, and she can’t stop us.” Henry did so.

                “Mom’s threatening to fireball you if you show up,” Henry replied.

                “She’s on a no magic kick so I’m safe,” Snow hummed.

                “She already said she’ll make an exception, she seemed to be anticipating your reply. Anyway, why were you guys asking if mom was dating, I really don’t want another parent,” Henry said.

                “No, no extras just Emma,” Ruby said.

                “Ruby!” Emma cried out blushing hard. Henry had no idea she was into women, the kid probably thought she was straight because of his dad.

                “Oh, then that’s okay if you like mom Emma, I didn’t want someone weird in the house,” Henry smiled.

                “What, just like that you’re okay, you don’t think I should be with a man?” Emma asked.

                “No, you should be with whomever you want to be with, that’s what mom always says. Love is love, and true love is the most powerful magic of all. So, if a man won’t make you happy, but mom does go for it.”

                “Aww kid that makes me so happy to hear, but um…I don’t think your mom likes girls is the problem,” Emma told him.  Henry frowned as he thought.

                “Oh, I can fix that,” Henry said.

                “What how?” They all asked.

                 “You bring mom her favorite chocolate she will literally say yes to anything that will not get you killed,” Henry said. “And maybe if you take her on a date, she will like you.”

                “Is that how you get comic books out of her?” Emma asked. Henry chuckled

                “No, Emma that’s cause I’m her little prince,” Henry grinned. They all chuckled, and Emma left with Henry after a while to secure Regina’s favorite chocolate.

                “I can’t believe these chocolates cost me two hundred and ten dollars, what is in it gold?” Emma asked. Henry looked at the box.

                “I think some of them yes, but trust me since you want good results, the ones with chili peppers were the way to go.”

                “That sounds horrible,” Emma said.

                “Really delicious actually,” Henry said munching on his sample, he hoped Regina shared with him.  Emma sighed.

                “What now, should I bring wine for dinner this feels more formal than normal, I should bring wine.”

                “You should bring wine for her chocolate,” Henry replied. “And then we go home and make you all pretty.” Emma glared at her son.

                “What’s wrong with me now?” Emma asked.

                “Mom might like you at your worse, but we want favorable results so she should finally see what your best is too.” Emma didn’t think her best was much more than she displayed and now she was worried she wouldn’t be worthy of a Queen. They bought wine with a little gift bag and placed the chocolates in as well. David was less enthusiastic than Snow and Henry, but admitted he was tired of Emma staring and had kind of been on his toes waiting for her to do something about it.  Emma cleaned up nicely dressing in a clean black t-shirt and skinny jeans with her leather jacket.

                “Wow that’s seriously the best in your wardrobe?” Snow asked when she came down.

                “You’re one to talk,” Emma muttered. Snow looked scandalized.

                “Well I’m not the one trying to bag a girlfriend, at least you ran the brush through your hair, she will appreciate your effort, I hope.” Henry sighed.

                “It will have to do, mom wants to know if we’ll be on time, she says dinner is almost ready.”

                “Tell her we’re there in ten, maybe I should quickly go grab some flowers or something,” Emma muttered.

                “No, no flowers are for later, mom hates when I want something and I go flowers, the same will apply, I think. Flowers are for just cause.”

                “Yeah she said that once, flowers are for just cause,” Snow said remembering. Emma nodded.

                “All right then let’s just do this then, see how it goes,” Emma said nervously wiping her sweaty palms on her pants. Snow immediately texted Ruby and told Henry he had better keep her updated. The drive over to Regina’s was spent with Henry reassuring her before he got out of the car and ran in ahead of her before she could tell him to wait that she needed a minute.

                “Shoes off Henry,” Regina said walking into the foyer, she spotted Emma holding a bag and standing outside, looking slightly nicer than usual. “Don’t stand outside Ms. Swan, come in, you were invited.” Emma blushed and came in. She gingerly took off her shoes, wondering how she was going to approach this, she hadn’t had a moment to think what to say of why she had bought Regina two-hundred-dollar chocolate of all things.

                “What’s in the bag?” Regina asked as she turned and headed for the dining room. The table was already set, and Henry was now grinning at them both as he allowed Regina to inspect his clean hands he had quickly washed. Emma took off her coat and cleared her throat as she joined them in the living room.

                “Um…a gift,” Emma muttered. She handed Regina the bag before slipping into the kitchen to wash her own hands. Regina looked puzzled and was staring in shock at the bottle of wine, her favorite, so Henry knew which one was likely empty after she had her chocolates, and of course her favorite chocolates. Well one of her favorites, she had several favorites.

                “Oh, you guys remembered,” Regina said a smile breaking out on her face. Henry suddenly looked guilty.

                “Yes, which is why…why um…I’m gonna sleep at Emma’s tonight so you can enjoy your bubble bath in peace, after I make it,” Henry said.

                “Aww aren’t you the sweetest, my Prince,” Regina said giving him a kiss.

                “Yup, Happy Birthday Mom!” Henry cried as he looked at Emma over her shoulder.  Emma looked so alarmed she had no idea it was Regina’s birthday.

                “Happy Birthday Regina!” Emma exclaimed. Regina gave her a hug too.

                “Thank you, Ms. Swan, I’m sure going in with Henry on buying my present set you back a bit, but I really like it, if it’s any consolation to your wallet,” Regina told her. Emma nodded. Henry motioned for her to ask.

                 “It was no problem, I really wanted to get it for you.”  Regina gave them both genuine smiles as dinner commenced. Emma felt as guilty as Henry looked as he talked about saving up some of his allowance for the gift, but she knew that was crap. He apologized for not waking up for her birthday breakfast, saying he hadn’t slept well, but tomorrow, she wasn’t to get out of bed. Emma just thought they were horrible people, for her birthday Henry had planned an entire surprise party at Granny’s with Regina’s help, so it wouldn’t be pink and frilly because of Snow. She could just imagine Regina waking up that morning waiting for breakfast that never came. Henry had stayed at her house last night and they’d been late to school that morning. She was going to fork out the money for an extra box, Regina at least deserved that. Regina of course was so forgiving of her little prince and told him she understood, Emma didn’t hold him to a proper bedtime. Emma didn’t even fight it, because she was the dick here. The rest of dinner went off without a hitch, and Henry ran her bath and lit candles as Regina talked about past birthdays saying how Henry when old enough to carry milk and cereal had continued the tradition of her own father of breakfast in bed. A small indulgence her mother stopped on her thirteenth birthday forcing her down to the table. That just cut through Emma like a knife, how could the kid have forgotten a tradition. Emma vowed then and there that no matter what, he would never forget again and if he was away at college, she would continue it. It was literally the one thing Regina looked forward too on her birthday, because that was all she ever got except for Henry’s handmade presents usually and of course her giving him money to buy whatever he wanted for her. Emma made another vow that night, that next year was going to be special.

                “Mom your bath is ready!” Henry called as he skipped down the stairs.

                “Oh, thank you my Prince,” Regina told him giving him a big hug and several kisses. It never failed to amaze her how loved this kid was, she couldn’t imagine how they had ever gone through a rough patch, but it was soon clear after the curse that some of it had to do with the curse in order to bring her here. Now with the curse broken it wasn’t hard at all to love each other again.

                “I’ll just load the dishwasher before we go,” Emma insisted. She cleaned up and Regina saw them off with a wave, promising to see Henry in the morning for breakfast. Once they were gone Regina prepared her wine, retrieved her current book, and chocolates. She went upstairs and took a very relaxing bath.


	2. Chapter Two

Chapter Two

 

                “Well Henry didn’t text, what did she say?” Snow asked as soon as they were in the door.

                “I didn’t ask, it turns out we forgot her birthday was today,” Emma said to Snow, Ruby, and David. They all looked guilty.

                “To be fair I never actually knew it, it’s not as if we celebrated her birthday in the Enchanted Forest, I just thought she didn’t want people knowing her age,” Snow said.

                “Not once?” Emma asked. “You told me you had such large balls on your birthday, why would the Queen not?” Snow shrugged.

                “I never thought about it, oh my God, she must have been so devastated when she realized you were just trying to ask her out.”

                “No thankfully the kid is quick on his feet and it never seemed like the right moment when I was sitting there like a lying piece of shit for a human being. “

                “At least you didn’t forget her birthday breakfast, she must have waited for me, she always wakes up early,” Henry groaned as he put his hands in his head.

                “Well I’m buying her a second box of chocolates because it’s the least I can do, and I want your allowance like you told her.” Henry nodded. He handed over five dollars. “Really kid?”

                “It’s all I have I’m eleven, I’m not good with money,” He cried.

                “Just go get ready for bed, no excuses tomorrow, we have to be up earlier,” Emma said. He nodded and hurried to go change.

                “So, are you going to ask her out tomorrow then?” Ruby asked. “Should I plan a party at Granny’s really quick for tomorrow.”

                “No, tomorrow it will be pretty obvious we forgot,” Emma told her. She frowned. “Make it Saturday.” Ruby nodded.

                “I’ll go tell Granny.”

                “I’ll bring the frills,” Snow cried.

                “No, we want her to like her birthday after all,” Ruby said. “And I only have one full day, so I don’t need to spend time vetoing your ideas when I need to come up with a guest list.” Snow pouted and Ruby left.  Emma eventually went up to bed just needing to get away from Snow and her ideas of how she should just ask Regina out in the middle of the party like she was really going to set herself up for that kind of rejection.

 

 

                “Breakfast was lovely sweetheart, thank you for not letting Ms. Swan burn down my kitchen,” Regina told him later when she had come down. Henry and her chuckled as Emma blushed and muttered about not doing that.

                “Oh here, I picked up a second box of chocolates to apologize for uh keeping the kid up past bedtime that he missed your special breakfast,” Emma told her.

                “Oh, thank you, you didn’t have to do that, at all, but again greatly appreciated and no complaints from me,” Regina said as she opened the box. This one had an assortment of flavors.

                “Love you mom, gotta get the school bus, this morning,” Henry said suddenly excusing himself, Emma still had a full plate of breakfast, he had purposely chosen something much quicker to eat.

                “Oh, Henry I was going to drop….” Emma started.

                “Nope, I wanna take the bus today,” He said. He kissed them both and ran out of the house just grabbing his backpack.

                “Huh wonder why he’s so eager for school today,” Regina murmured. Emma shrugged suddenly nervous to be alone with Regina as she gently placed another piece of chocolate on her tongue. Emma choked on her eggs a little and cleared her throat.

                “Something wrong?” Regina asked. 

                “No, um…actually there was something I wanted to ask you,” Emma said.

                “Oh my God, I swear if Henry told you to buy me a second box to authorize a trip to LA Comic Con, he’s a sneaky little boy,” Regina groaned.

                “What no, he hadn’t brought it up actually, he knows I rarely fork out the big bucks.” Regina nodded.

                “So, is it then about my I forgot it was Regina’s birthday, surprise party?”

                “What?” Emma asked gaping at her.

                “You told Snow, she can’t keep a secret, first thing this morning I got a message apologizing for forgetting my birthday as well as Henry and Emma.”

                “Oh my God,” Emma whispered. She just wanted to cry how could she ask now.

                “It’s fine, it wasn’t really a secret, I knew he had forgotten, and I never told you my birthday so why would you remember?”

                “It’s not fine though, he’s your son, he should have remembered.” Regina nodded.

                “He should have, but you know I got a really nice bath, my favorite chocolates, and wine out of it. I never got that before unless I bought it myself. Henry hasn’t remembered breakfast in three years and has never given me anything else that remotely compared until last night. But anyway, if the original chocolates weren’t about comic con or my birthday, what were they for?” Regina asked. Emma looked scared.  “Whatever it is you can tell me, Henry must have said I’m very amendable right now.”

                “He might have,” Emma said laughing nervously.

                “Come on Ms. Swan just rip it off like a band aid,” Regina said looking into her chocolate box.  Emma took that moment, she couldn’t watch Regina’s eyes in that moment.

                “I like you, like you,” Emma blurted out. Regina paused and released the chocolate she was picking up.

                “Yeah Emma I know you like me otherwise you wouldn’t be here right now and actually upset you missed my birthday. But that can’t be what you meant to tell me, we’re friends.” Emma looked as if she wanted to cry because she wasn’t sure if she just got friend zoned as gently as possible at a moment like this or if Regina really misunderstood.  And she had to be sure or this would just be worse the next go. This was not how she thought this would ever go if Regina ever gave her five minutes of her time.

                “No, I mean I romantically like you,” Emma practically whispered. Regina sighed suddenly not liking her chocolates anymore.

                “Ms. Swan I will tell you what I tell everyone else,” Regina told Emma. “I’m not some whore that can be bought, you can’t just give me expensive stuff and expect me to sleep with you.” Emma looked horrified.

                “OH MY GOD NO!”  Emma cried. “NEVER!”  Regina looked confused. “I don’t know whose been soliciting you before now, but you give me a list and I will punch them all on your behalf. I bought you chocolates in the hopes that you would be amendable to going on an actual date with me, like giving me a real chance, but I didn’t even know if you were a lesbian! Hell, I didn’t even know how you would react, it’s been such a mixed bag around this town, even Snow was having trouble with the fact, but apparently I was so obvious she had time to get over it!”

                “The sentiment varies from Kingdom to Kingdom,” Regina murmured as she stood up. “I can’t have this conversation in my nightwear.” Emma just nodded because at least it wasn’t a flat out no yet and although Regina was perfectly capable of kicking her out in her nightwear Emma was choosing to go her mother’s route and be optimistic. Besides she needed a few moments to freak out. Regina meanwhile was upstairs freaking out her mother had always said she was an abomination for liking girls, had killed so many girls forced her even into loving Daniel, but at the end of the day it was girls that got her attention. Now here was Emma freaking Swan downstairs proclaiming her love. She took a deep breath and changed into a pair of leggings, she wasn’t leaving her house today, she had taken the day off as soon as she knew she was enjoying an evening of wine and chocolate. She was going to be way too relaxed to want to go to work.

                “So much for relaxed,” Regina grumbled as she brushed her hair and put on her make up. Of course, the first girl to ever show interest back in over three decades, and she was downstairs looking like a mutt. She went lighter today though, she didn’t need her mayor face on. She put a black tang top on, and then a long dark blue cardigan with pockets for her cell. If she were anyone else and needed a quick errand it would do, but she wasn’t anyone else and she wasn’t leaving the house like this. She contemplated socks, but then decided her pedicured toes were still fine, not that she had been thinking about that earlier.

                “Thanks a lot Emma, now I have to obsess over every fucking detail,” Regina muttered just grateful she had brushed her teeth and washed her face before taking her breakfast dishes down. Ugh the woman had seen her with bed head, because she hadn’t heard her come in the house with Henry.  At least it allowed her to leave her natural curls out today and put it in a ponytail she decided. When she came back downstairs Emma looked as if she was trying to manage to finish her breakfast, but she choked on it as soon as Regina appeared.

                “You own a pair of leggings?” Emma finally got out. 

                “Yes, how did you think I lounged around the house, not in my pristine suits,” Regina said.

                “No, but you have other beautiful dresses, I just assumed,” Emma replied.

                “I don’t plan on leaving the house today,” Regina said.

“Well I think you look beautiful today as always even without your power suits,” Emma replied. Regina gave her a small smile before she quickly went into the kitchen, she needed something for her hands she retrieved another mug of coffee before sitting down again. Awkward silence fell between them.

“So….” Emma said.

“So…” Regina replied.

“How about this just tell me if you even like girls or not that will solve you from having to say the rest to let me down gently,” Emma offered. Regina gave a nervous chuckle.

“I like women Emma,” Regina admitted.

“So, you really did play monopoly with Graham and you were just baiting me back then, I should be clear I am bisexual, though with a preference with women.”

“That’s a thing?” Regina asked. “And no, not just monopoly, scrabble too. He was surprisingly lucky with his letters, so that was often a loud game as well. When I first got here, I discovered board games and I certainly wasn’t going to play them with Snow. He saw and we like played them together, and it didn’t matter the game we were both sore losers, but our favorites turned into Monopoly and Scrabble, we lived for the fight in our everyday lives. But I did imply otherwise to piss you off yes.” Emma nodded. 

“And yes, being bisexual is a thing and yes you can have a preference,” Emma told her. “I don’t know why people often think bisexuals don’t exist.”

“I’m sorry you face that in this world, but where I grew up from Mother’s perspective you were either an abomination or you were a good girl and interested in the Kings or Princes mother pushed on me.” 

“Oh, Regina I’m so sorry, it hadn’t occurred to me that might be why you’re not dating, but you don’t have to care about what she thinks, she was wrong, you are normal,” Emma said. Regina gave her a small smile as her finger traced the lip of her coffee mug.

“Thank you, Ms. Swan, but since I pushed mother through the looking glass, that’s not been one of my hang ups, I’m interested in women, but they have never been interested in me not since Maleficent and we were not in a position to cultivate an actual relationship. I don’t date, because no one in this town would have me, and frankly, there was no one in this town that I would have.”

“There was no one?” Emma asked perking up. Did she dare hope that Regina was saying she liked her?

“So, I guess what I’m saying is that I feel relatively safe enough here away from my mother wherever she may be, hopefully dead, to uh go out on a date with you, but ONLY…” Emma jumped out of her chair cheering. Regina couldn’t help, but smile, she didn’t think anyone would ever be this excited to go out with her.

                “Oh sorry, I missed the stimulations,” Emma said sitting back down trying to be serious. Regina chuckled.

                “ONLY if it’s tomorrow night, because I’m afraid Ruby couldn’t keep Snow from bringing her pink frills, and it can’t be in this town, I don’t want the entire town literally watching the first date of my entire life and they will. I just want to enjoy it without judgement or gossip.”

                “Your first date ever?” Emma asked. “Oh My God I have no time, you’re giving me twenty-four hours to pull off the perfect date?”

                 “Sorry if this party wasn’t looming over us, I’d give you more time, but asking me to go is asking a lot,” Regina pointed out.

                “God I’m starting to hate my mother,” Emma groaned rubbing a hand over her face. “All right, all right how about this, I spring for another box of chocolates for the party, and you give me one week at least to create the perfect first date and it will last the entire weekend.” 

                “I could use a weekend away, and your parents will keep Henry?” Regina asked. Emma nodded.

                “It shouldn’t be a problem at all,” Emma said.

                “All right, just let me know my share of the costs,” Regina said.  Emma looked outraged and Regina looked ready to argue.

                “What, absolutely not, I will concede any subsequent dates before you get all strong independent woman on me, but Regina Mills I refuse to let you pay for your first real date.” Regina smiled.

                “All right, all right,” Regina said holding up her hands thinking she would get even by paying for the second date. Regina startled herself she was already on the second date, she hoped Emma was still likeable in a romantic relationship. She had read enough to know that some people changed after the fact, the King certainly had once she was his wife, but she didn’t think that was the case with Emma. Emma was all cheering and finishing her breakfast until she frowned.

                “What’s wrong finally finding the eggs too salty?” Regina chuckled as she sipped her now cooled coffee.

                “No, it’s just, I just realized you said you like women and you said you’d allow me to take you out, but you never actually said that you like me,” Emma said frowning as she looked dejected and obviously feeling a little bit used seeing as Regina had wanted to avoid the party in the first place.

                “Oh well to be perfectly honest with you, I’m just really excited someone with a vagina is actually interested in me and I have noticed you’re pretty hot, but I’m not currently harboring romantic feelings for you. However, that’s what dates are about though seeing if two people can become friends and later partners. So, you’re already a step ahead. I feel comfortable enough with our relationship to assume that given more effort we could be actual friends and not tentative friends. And then of course partners. My past relationships never really cultivated friendship except for Maleficent, but that was just sex and revenge. I want something real, that will last. I don’t want to be forced into a relationship with you just because people might expect it and just act a certain way and hope that maybe I’ll love you later. I did that with a member of your family already. So, let’s just do this right.” Emma couldn’t help but smile.

                “You think I’m hot,” Emma grinned. Regina groaned.

                “All of that, and that is what you took away from that Ms. Swan?” Regina asked her. Emma chuckled.

                “No, but a friend wouldn’t have passed the chance up to silly grin and tease at the same time.”  Regina couldn’t help but smile back. Emma’s phone rang and she had to take it, pongo was digging up someone’s yard again.

                “I had better go, should I uh bring lunch by maybe later at one?” Emma asked tentatively.

                “No, I’ll make us lunch, speaking of lunch, did you give Henry lunch money today?” Regina asked. It was normally her day with Henry but as he had impromptu given her a relaxing night, she hadn’t thought about it. Emma grimaced.

                “No, completely slipped my mind this morning we were so focused on your birthday breakfast, it’s not normally my day.” Regina waved her off.

                “I guess I do have to leave the house today, I’ll drop his lunch off.”

                “No, you know Pongo’s always digging up the yard, I can wait and get it off to him,” Emma said.

                “Thank you,” Regina said as she stood up and went into the kitchen, she pulled out various items from the refrigerator and checked leftovers. She warmed it up and packed his lunch bag with carrot sticks and broccoli with hummus, homemade chocolate pudding, bottle of water, and a capri sun. Emma also noted she gave him a few pieces of her chocolate as well. She closed the iron man lunch bag and handed it to Emma. 

                “Wow I now feel like a shit mom for handing him money every morning he’s with me for lunch.”

                “You’re not a shit mom just the fun one,” Regina shrugged.

                 “You’re fun too,” Emma said.

                “Sure, anyway you had better go before Pongo digs up the entire yard.” Emma nodded. Regina walked her to the door and then they stood awkwardly in front of one another not sure if they should hug or shake hands or do their usual wave.

                “Have a good day Ms. Swan,” Regina said opening the door and finally deciding their usual was better, because this didn’t warrant a kiss and a hug would still be too awkward now, but maybe not after lunch.

                “Oh, come on when are you going to call me Emma?” Emma asked.

                 “As soon as you actually want me too,” Regina grinned back. “See you at one Ms. Swan.”

                “See you at one Madam Mayor,” Emma said wiggling her eyebrows. Regina scoffed at her and made to close the door, but Emma stopped her.

                “Wait Regina, one question before I go,” Emma said.

                “What’s that dear?” Regina asked leaning on the door.

                “You said you were pretty excited that me with my vagina was interested in you, would you have actually taken me up on the offer if I really did just want sex, cause you know I’m all pretty hot like you said,” Emma said trying to look all hot but really just looking like a dork and that made Regina laugh.

                “Not in a million years Ms. Swan, you didn’t bring me nearly enough chocolate to get into my panties, however if you find me catching romantic feelings, maybe that’s enough chocolate to get you your best Sheriff’s office fantasy.” Regina shut the door leaving Emma’s mouth hanging open and dry. To her amusement she heard Emma choking on a fly.

                “I warned you about that Ms. Swan!” She called through the door. Emma still coughing as she pressed a middle finger into the side window making Regina laugh. Eventually Emma left for work and to drop off Henry’s lunch. Regina set about cleaning her home and enjoying her jeopardy episodes she had recorded.  She tried not to think about Emma, but honestly she was excited, this was new territory for her and if they didn’t work out it would hurt, but at least Regina didn’t have to die wondering why she had never been asked out on  a real date, why she had been destined to be just a sex object to men and not worthy of love that she could fully reciprocate. She couldn’t fully reciprocate with Daniel, girls had been killed for less just because she liked them. Daniel was her only friend, she should have protected him better if only because she was not as emotionally driven romantically, but God had she just wanted someone to love her. Despite her father, she felt it was so hard to feel love back then.

                “This is now, Regina, you’re going to give this a really good try,” Regina told herself. “Mother’s not here and she never will be.”  For lunch Regina made Asian Salmon wraps. The recipe called for canned salmon, but she didn’t like that, so she cut and cooked up fresh salmon she still had with daikon radish, sesame seeds, and white rice. She made a side of Greek couscous salad. She was just setting the table when Emma arrived. They smiled at each other, but it was still a bit weird, Regina just mostly listened to Emma talk about her day since she’d done absolutely nothing except clean.

                “What’s wrong with your food?” Regina asked noticing that Emma picked at it.

                “I’m just not huge on salmon,” Emma admitted as she looked down.

                “Hmm…eat your salad while I make you a grilled cheese, I can see it’s too healthy too soon,” Regina laughed. Emma blushed but also smiled and forced down the couscous she didn’t love it, but it wasn’t salmon. Regina made her the best grilled cheese she’d ever had in her life.

                “So, what did you do all morning?” Emma asked as she finished eating a smile on her face. She wished the grilled cheese didn’t have to end. Regina smiled back.

                “Cleaned up a little, and watched Jeopardy honestly,” Regina said feeling a little boring.

                “Oh cool, can I keep watching with you, I don’t have to get back to the station today, seeing as my boss isn’t in the office today, I don’t have to take her any paperwork.” Regina chuckled.

                “Well aren’t you lucky, and sure we can also watch something else that you like,” Regina told her. Emma shook her head and helped Regina clear the table. Once the kitchen was clean again as well as the dining room, they retired with cups of tea to the living room. Well Regina had tea, Emma had politely refused.  She noted that Regina was a black coffee person in the morning and tea drinker in the evening that also had zero sugar or milk. At first, they sat apart, but eventually Regina was easily leaning back slightly on Emma who had thought she was slyly resting her arm on the couch in order to put it around Regina. She watched her giggle at wrong answers and scoff even as she already knew the answer. And she hated on this small little man.

                “How can you hate him so much from one show?” Emma asked. “It’s not as if they have reoccurring characters.”

                “Well the champion comes back for a few games, and unfortunately he won the last game by sheer luck, he’s an idiot but by chance he had betted nothing in final jeopardy because surprise, surprise he didn’t know the answer and it was a miracle he had two hundred dollars. It was dumb luck.” Emma chuckled.

                “This guy has been behind the entire game, no way he’s the returning champion.”

                “Unfortunately, he most definitely is Ms. Swan,” Regina said pouring herself some more tea and sitting back this time tucking her knees up to her chest.  “Now shush it’s time for final jeopardy.”

                _“His seldom-used last name reflects his birth near the mouth of a river that flows from the Alps to the North Sea.”_ Regina snorted cutely.

                “Is that all they got, who is Rembrandt,” Regina told Emma. Emma chuckled. “If anyone up there knows the answer they should bet everything.”

                “Maybe they aren’t as sure as you?” Emma asked. “Play it safe and go home with some money.” Regina nodded.

                “True.” Finally, it was time for the reveal, and Regina was of course correct in her answer. She looked very smug and cheered when her least favorite player lost, and a new Champion was crowned.

                “I told you he’s an idiot, it was dumb luck,” Regina told her as she turned it off and went back to her list deleting that episode, so she wouldn’t re-watch it, plus Henry didn’t watch them with her anyway anymore. Emma noted some silly game shows were on the list and it gave her an idea for Regina’s party that might make up for her mother’s frills. She quietly texted Ruby who said she would take care of it.

                “Do you like sports I think there’s a football game on today,” Regina questioned.

                “Regina we can watch whatever you want to watch,” Emma told her.

                “Yes, but if you’re spending time here then you should also watch something you want to watch. I think it’s fair compromise that you sat through jeopardy, and so I can sit through like something you watch just not Nascar I really don’t see the point.” Emma blushed.

                “Oh, come on how can you not like fast cars,” Emma said.

                “How can you like fast cars but hold onto that death trap?” Regina pointed out. Emma chuckled.

                “I can’t afford it, but come on just give Nascar a chance,” Emma said.  Regina huffed.

                “How about this, Friday nights after Henry is in bed, I like to watch my documentaries, if you can sit through that then I can sit through…Nascar.” Regina looked ready to cringe.

                “What if I find the documentary interesting?” Emma asked.

                “Then I’m reading through Nascar,” Regina told her. Emma chuckled.

                “Fair deal,” Emma said. “But for now, maybe a comedy?” Regina nodded. They found something with a little dark humor that made Regina evil chuckle in Emma’s opinion which made her chuckle because Regina was so cute doing it.

                “Mom!” Henry called running in after school.

                “Shoes off!” Regina called standing up as she paused the television. Emma gave her a small pout for so easily vacating her arms. She’d had to pee for that last twenty minutes but didn’t want to give up her spot behind Regina.

                “Hi Emma, were you waiting for me, I thought I was with mom tonight cause I stayed with you, yesterday too,” Henry said.

                “Oh, you are kid no worries, Regina and I were just hanging out.”

                “You don’t hang out; do you mean making out like you wanted?” Henry asked. Emma groaned. She was glad she had come clean to Regina.  Regina chuckled seeing the obvious confusion on Henry’s face.

                “No, we watched Jeopardy and then a comedy we just hung out, no making out, friends first then maybe I win myself a girlfriend.” Henry nodded.

                “So, I was right you did say yes because of the chocolate, because God knows Emma doesn’t clean up very well,” Henry told Regina. “I was talking with Grandma today about how she has to up her wardrobe game.” He pulled Regina into the kitchen as he spoke leaving Emma dumbfounded and Regina laughing the entire way. Regina was making him a snack as he talked about how nice it would be to do stuff as a family now that they were dating.

                “You’d really like that huh to do the whole camping thing and family vacations,” Regina replied. Henry nodded.

                “Yes, Emma’s no good at camping just her and me, and now you don’t have an excuse not to come.”

                “Excuse you, but what makes you think Queen Regina is better at camping than me the from the streets Savior?” Emma asked. Regina and Henry looked at Emma and chuckled.

                “Emma, I come from a land without modern amenities, it was basically camping,” Regina said. They all chuckled at that as Regina finished slicing two apples and put them in a bowl along with some grapes, Henry dipped the apples in peanut butter as well as Regina while they also chatted about school. She helped Henry with his homework already, so they didn’t have to worry about it over the weekend. A stark contrast to Emma, who only made him do it Sunday night. Emma went home only after enjoying some wine with Regina alone once Henry was in bed and sat through a whole documentary on embroidery, she had hoped it would be world war two documentaries.


	3. Chapter Three

Chapter Three

 

                “Do you like your makeup party?” Snow asked.

                “Oh yeah,” Regina lied looking at all the birds, pinks, and frills so many frills. This was the reason she had jumped at the chance to help Henry with Emma’s birthday, because no one deserved this, she didn’t deserve this. Suddenly she was no longer regretting having her birthday ignored in the Enchanted Forest. No doubt given how close they were supposed to be Snow would have been put in charge of the decorations. Regina shuddered to think to have endured this on top of everything else.

                “Here this will make it better,” Emma told her handing her a shot. Regina took it seeing as suddenly this party was no longer kid friendly, so Henry was staying the night with Nick and Ava. Once she was five shots in, Emma and Ruby brought out little booths.

                “Regina it’s time to play Fairytale Jeopardy!” Emma exclaimed.

                “What?” Regina asked.

                 “Each contestant will be assigned a fairytale Character you must answer the question, every wrong answer gets two shots, every right answer gets one shot, and the winner takes home your favorite chocolates and a collection of wow you really managed two hundred dollars from the partygoers?” she looked at Ruby who shrugged with a grin.

                “All right let’s do this, I wanna play Grumpy!” David called out.

                “Who do I get to be?” Regina asked.  Emma smirked.

                “You get a choice of playing Snow White or Prince Charming,” Emma laughed.

                “Someone, get me a bird!” Regina yelled. “And Belle better be playing so this is actually challenging, no way Charming is my only competitor.”

                “I wouldn’t dream of missing it your majesty, I will be answering as Red Riding Hood,” Belle grinned.

                “Oooh, the challenge has been thrown down!” Someone called. Emma was for the first time grateful that Snow had felt so guilty she threatened people into coming who otherwise wouldn’t have shown up. And now that the shots were flowing no one really cared. Emma had changed it to open bar and that had seemed to do the trick for the usual haters and plus everyone loved a good competition.

                “Come on Em, throw something actually challenging at us, babe!” Belle yelled as she jumped around in tiny shorts like Ruby.

                “Oh, Ruby don’t shout, I’m sure Emma has prepared lots of wonderous questions for us,” Regina said stroking a bird and smiling and being optimistic. It all made her sick on one hand and on the other hand she was seriously killing it as Snow who was now in a corner pouting and saying every now and again, she didn’t act like that.

                “Come on Sheriff give me all you got,” David drunkenly yelled at her like Grumpy, as he half slumped over his booth. He had even got his questions right. Honestly Belle and Regina were pleasantly surprised to see him keep up, but to be honest the questions had been ridiculously easy and if you knew anything about the people in this town, you’d know the answer and as David was deputy, Regina was glad he knew the answer.

                “Yeah okay, I’m actually out of questions,” Emma blushed. They hadn’t had a lot of time to generate enough questions. Ruby had told her these were the hardest questions from the most obscure tales about some of the smallest details about the lives of some fairytale characters. She learned things about Pinocchio, some fairy, and Thumbelina and Tom Thumb as well as a few others she didn’t think she would ever know. The best being that apparently there was a child version of Snow-White living in Storybrooke with her sister Red Rose who were both literally the most darling children in Storybrooke but had no relation to her mother. Even Regina loved them, usually using them to present flowers or something at big town events in matching dresses that their mother always made. They were part of the few families who were not separated.

                “Aww,” They groaned.

                “No, no because guys it is time for final Jeopardy!” Emma exclaimed. Ruby threw confetti into the air making everyone laugh.

                “Well I suppose we could split the grand prize down the middle,” Regina told Belle in Character.

                “I guess so Queenie,” They sighed together.

                “So hard to please the nerds,” Ruby grumbled but gave Emma the envelope. Emma chuckled.

                “All right guys simple questions, each of you have something different.” That made them all perk up.

                “Red Riding Hood your question is, how old is the Dark One?” Emma asked. Belle scoffed but started writing. “Grumpy…” Emma looked up to find her dad slumped over on purpose as if passed out making people laugh. “Grumpy!”

                “What!” The real Grumpy shouted super drunk having been passed out over a stool. They all laughed some more.

                “Not you I mean fake Grumpy!”  David startled awake and pretend to wipe spit off. “Time for final jeopardy drunk Grumpy, and your question is How old was Regina when she cast the curse?”  He grimaced but got to writing. “Now that leaves you Snow White, On the night that your mother Queen Eva died, what color was your birthday dress?” Emma was so sure that Regina could not possibly know what color the dress was since it was before her time at the palace.  Regina kept her face unreadable as she wrote down her answer after giving it some thought. Ruby rang a bell when everyone had a response.

                “All right Grumpy you first since you’re falling over,” Emma said her father it a point to wobble a little from a standing position. “How old was Regina when she cast the curse?” He held up a crumbled paper that read forty-five. Regina looked absolutely scandalized.

                 “Wow does this really look like the face of a forty-five-year-old to you, Sir?” Regina asked him.

                “To me no, but to drunk Grumpy, well I haven’t missed a day of calling an old hag,” David pointed out as everyone laughed including Regina.

                “Touché dwarf,” Regina said bowing her head in acceptance.

                “Ooh unfortunately while you answered as your character would your character is as far as anyone could tell wrong about her age,” Emma said. If she were honest for all she knew Regina could be forty-five, but she really had no idea. “Now how many shots did you bet?”  David had bet all his shots except one.

                “Oooh,” the crowd groaned.

                “Tough luck Grumpy, Red Rid ing Hood time for your reveal, how old is the Dark One?”

                 “Oh, you know like super old but What is Rumple is three centuries old,” Belle grinned holding up her paper. Ruby hit a little bell that signaled a false answer.

                “Oh, dear sorry Red, but we were looking for unknown as Rumple is merely one of many Dark One’s,” Emma said. Belle gave a scream of frustration as she realized they hadn’t specified, she had been tricked. There was shock through the crowd that they had stomped Belle who had bet everything except ten shots.  “Now to our final fairytale jeopardy contestant tonight, Snow White, what color was your party dress?”

                “Well I tell you what this was a trick question, I never had the party in the end, so the dress never became a party dress. I wore black the rest of the night after taking off my PINK would be party dress. But the answer is, what is I didn’t wear a party dress?”

                “OUR WINNER IS THE BIRTHDAY GIRL!” Emma shouted, Ruby through confetti, Granny brought out the number of shots they had won, and Regina promptly announced Emma should probably take her home before she got any drunker from taking over twenty shots. Didn’t stop her from carefully pocketing the cash though and grabbing the chocolate. She didn’t want that box going anywhere, she’d had her eye on it all night.

                “Sheriff you are not going to put me in that death trap when we’ve both been drinking,” Regina scolded as she stumbled despite Emma’s arms around her.

                “What you wanna walk like this?” Emma asked.

                “No choice,” Regina snorted. Emma chuckled.

                “Maybe you can do that magic disappearing act so we both appear on Mifflin,” Emma suggested as she headed down main street.

                “What are you crazy, I would never poof under the influence, that’s dangerous, Sheriff Swan, more reckless than driving. I could end up in a wall,” Regina said. The tone of her voice slightly higher asking Emma did she understand how terrible that would be.  

                “Oh no, nobody needs to end up in a wall after such a good night,” Emma said.

                “Regina!” Snow called. Regina groaned.

                “And tonight, was so lovely,” Regina grumbled. Emma chuckled.

                “Oh, Regi come on just let her say her happy birthday and sorry again before we get you home.” Regina gave a long sigh but came to a stop. They managed to turn around with Regina tripping.

                “What is it Snow, I’m kinda drunk here,” Regina said. Snow just looked at her all teary eyed.

                “It’s just that now that you’re dating Emma I hope, I…I just…I just want you to know I’m ready to be your daughter this time, and I hope this time we can have a real mother daughter relationship. Yes, so I’m ready for us to get back the good times we had.” Regina opened her mouth to accept her apology, but she paused.

                “I... I am so drunk right now, I really should get to bed,” Regina said right before she threw up on Snow’s ugly boots.

                “Ooof you probably should have waited for the morning for that declaration,” Emma told her trying to hide her own disbelief, but she would be kidding herself that this just happened.

                “There you are Snow come on, let’s get you home, I didn’t realize you were so drunk you threw up on yourself.” Regina gave an Evil chuckle in Emma’s opinion as she led her away.

                “Was Snow too drunk or am I too drunk?” Regina asked Emma. Emma chuckled.

                “Regina, I wanna tell you that in the morning when you wake up all will be well, she’ll keep her distance and maybe even be embarrassed or even that you just imagined that whole thing. But I’ve learned that honesty is the best policy with you, and she was one hundred percent sober tonight.”

                “Are you sure?” Regina asked. “She must have taken at least one shot to justify what just happened.” Emma laughed as they reached Mifflin street.

                “Unfortunately, no,” Emma said. Regina groaned. They walked in silence until they turned up the walk way. Regina reached out and opened the front door easily. “Uh did you open that with magic or is someone stupid enough to break in.”

                “No, I left it unlocked so I didn’t take a bag,” Regina grinned. “No one is stupid enough to break in.” They both laughed but Emma still did a thorough check around. Regina headed for her study though, when Emma found her, she had a fire started and was sinking into the couch with a glass of cider and opening her chocolates. Emma thought maybe she should quietly back out but then noticed Regina had poured a second glass.

                “Want one?” Regina asked when she had sat down. Emma nodded and eagerly tried the chocolate.

                “Holy shit those are delicious,” Emma said.

                “I know, worth every single bit of money spent on them, if I wasn’t careful, I’d lose all my money over chocolate,” Regina said as she slapped Emma’s hand away from her expensive box and pointed her to another box. Emma pouted seeing it wasn’t expensive chocolate, but it was good.

                “I didn’t know you loved chocolate so much,” Emma commented trying to make conversation.

                “You don’t know much about me at all,” Regina reminded her. Emma blushed.

                “That’s true, but you know that’s the good thing about now we’re getting to know each other.”

                 “I know you already,” Regina told her.

                “Prove it,” Emma said.

                “Your favorite food is grilled cheese, your favorite color is yellow, you’re attached to your deathtrap because before Storybrooke and after foster care besides your baby blanket it’s been the only constant in your life through good and bad times. It’s also where you first fell in love and conceived our son. Luckily it is not where you got your heart broken, but it does serve as a reminder not to trust people so fully ever again. So, I admire that you went out on a limb and asked me out. But who better to date then someone else who has a hard time trusting people, so you know it’s genuine if I ever declare my love? Hmm…what else let’s see you like your coffee with obscene amounts of sugar and milk along with a bear claw. You eat at Granny’s because Snow can’t cook even though she thinks she can, but at least you have the good sense to know you can’t yet. You’re good with money because you spent so much time not having it, which is why you can even afford my chocolates not to mention having guaranteed paycheck is well helpful. You crinkle your nose slightly when you don’t like something, you wear contact lenses that you think people won’t notice and they don’t if they never look you in the eye. And to my knowledge most people don’t because you’re the Sheriff and they’re in trouble, they aren’t me or Henry, or they are your parents who just pour out guilt whenever they look at you because they know Snow should have climbed into that wardrobe pregnant as soon as it was built if it could really only take one. And you hate them for it, because you weren’t even ten minutes old when they put you in and just hoped you didn’t die wherever.” Emma gulped down her cider and pour another glass, but it quickly followed the first.

                “Well just strip me bare why don’t you, besides wouldn’t you have killed me anyway if I had been trapped in the curse?”

                “No, I don’t usually harm children, you would have been frozen like everyone else, I likely would have just raised you or just stuck you with some other family I don’t know. I suspect you would have ended up with me though as our lives are so intertwined that Henry ended up with me. I wouldn’t trade Henry for you, but I suspect I might have been put into a situation to break my own curse.” Emma chuckled.

                “And to think your curse could have back fired and you would have been in Newborn hell until you broke it.” Regina chuckled.

                “Curses are funny like that, you start to realize that you’re trapped too,” Regina said.

                 “But you left to get Henry,” Emma pointed out.

                “I did, but I still didn’t know this world Emma, when I got Henry, I was feeling just as stuck as everyone else, it was a prison of my own making. I didn’t exist out there, didn’t know how to exist. In here I had Kathryn, my fake friend, in here everyone knew me, would help me because I’m the mayor. I had never been alone before, didn’t know how to be alone out there. Part of me regretted everything I had done, and when I got Henry those regrets just went away, life was as it should be for the first time that I could ever remember. And I realized I didn’t have to be alone, that I could make my own family now, that I could love someone.”

                “But you knew he would grow, why didn’t you just leave then if you felt like you could face the world?”

                “I was going to but becoming a new mother for the first time to a newborn is rough. You worry about everything and I had plans to go so that what happened, never happened. But then I found out you were his mother, and I knew you were the savior, kind of hard to miss you were found abandoned not far from where a nonexistent town appeared. So, I took a forgetting potion because I realized I was more concerned with this stupid curse than raising my son. Since I forgot I was the evil Queen, I forgot about my plans to leave.”

                “Wow you loved him that much, the kid scored, I dreamed of a parent who would do anything for me, I’m glad the kid found that even if it couldn’t be with me initially. So, wait you didn’t know you were lying when you said you weren’t the Evil Queen and you really thought Henry had problems.”

                “Well yeah, to me I was just a normal bitchy mayor of a small town. I honestly thought the kid was disturbed since he was at least five. He wanted a little sister so bad, and I started to agree that our family of two could be three, and then he started saying he was the only one growing up. Freaked me out, I stopped the process and assumed my hands would be full and they were.”  Regina downed her cider and poured herself some more. She hated thinking about those times with Henry of fearing for his mental wellbeing.

                “God, does the kid know?” Emma asked. Regina nodded.

                “Now, didn’t really get a chance to explain that in the beginning but now that we’ve been talking more and things are getting back to normal before he also got angry at me, he knows now that as far as him seeing Archie and my responses up until a point were not me deliberately lying to him, but rather my own cursed version of me. It’s really helped us regain a level of trust and love. Anyway, change of subject those terrible times are gone.” Regina down the second glass and poured a third.          

                “Maybe slow down you already had plenty to drink tonight,” Emma reminded. Regina sat back but didn’t knock back the glass of cider in one go.

                “New subject, Ms. Swan,” Regina commanded.

                “Oh right, uh why did you not consider just having a baby, what made adoption appealing to you?” Emma asked. Regina groaned.

                “New subject,” Regina said taking a drink. “You don’t get one of my secrets so soon.” Emma filed that away for a later date.

                “You know usually people who have drank as much as you, speak much more freely,” Emma grumbled as she thought. Regina chuckled.

                “I’m not most people Ms. Swan,” Regina thought as she remembered learning how to keep her mouth shut less mother find out anything although she seemed to always know. Regina thought back to the first time she was sexually attracted to a woman. It was one of the maids, the poor woman had been as straight as can be and Regina had even saw her having sex with one of the guards. She didn’t realize that her focusing in on the maid was going to be a problem. She had watched enough that the maid’s moans and her face were burned into her mind as she touched herself for the first time and last until after she’d killed the King. Not that she hadn’t wanted to or thought about it in between. It was just hard to when your so-called husband raped you and Snow was around all the time. She would forever be grateful to Maleficent for showing her what sex could be like when you wanted someone. Her mother had forced her to touch herself with an herb that made everything burn and itch and turn red on her fingers and between her legs. She had been uncomfortable for weeks. To her horror it all magically spread to the maid and that’s when she learned the magic told her mother who she’d been fantasizing about. Regardless though her mother always seemed to know which lucky maid she found pretty. She didn’t have to try hard to remember the burning, and how the maid’s skin had smelled as she burned to death.

                “You should go,” Regina said suddenly. Emma who had been chatting about not knowing what to talk about as she didn’t know what was off limits things and what wasn’t as they weren’t normal people. 

                “Huh what?” Emma asked suddenly wondering what she had done.

                “Good night Ms. Swan, please close the door on your way out.” Regina downed the rest of drink and left the study leaving Emma alone. Emma was at a loss as she did as Regina asked. She thought Regina had been into talking with her even if some things were off limits. She left no longer seeing Regina anywhere downstairs after leaving a note that she was sorry for whatever she had done, and she hoped Regina still wanted to go on their date sober. Regina meanwhile was upstairs crying as she tried hard to cool the fire that was between her legs with cold water. She was sure it was there again, but she didn’t understand how or why. She could even see and feel the redness returning to her fingers.  Why now of all times was it returning as if it had never left. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed Chapter Three, since it's pretty short, I've uploaded chapter four already too.


	4. Chapter Four

Chapter Four

 

                “Hey kid, what are you doing here?” Emma asked and suddenly she perked up, it was Monday, so she hadn’t necessarily planned on seeing Henry after school as Regina should have him that day since he’d come back to her on Sunday unusual, but he had texted Regina asking since he had wanted to grill her about their interactions.

                “Mom said I was with you again tonight, she left a message for me at school, said she would drop off fresh uniforms for me at the loft.” Henry shrugged.  Emma frowned and her shoulders slumped. “Oh well don’t look so excited to spend time with me.”

                “It’s not you fool, I was just hoping to see your mom after Saturday night or you could grill her, she hasn’t responded to any of my texts except to tell me no when I asked about lunch. I even offered to bring chocolate and she said no. That woman loves chocolate.”

                “Maybe I’ll go home anyway?” Henry asked.

                “No, let’s just give her space, maybe tomorrow she’ll be open to it, also hoping tonight she’ll say maybe when I bring by my reports on time for the day.”

                “Good thinking,” Henry said as he sat down and started on his homework. Normally he and Emma left work right away to go have fun and reports didn’t get finished especially on her days with him.

                “All right done let’s do this,” Emma said. They went to townhall but found out Regina wasn’t in that day.

                “Just leave your reports there, Sheriff, I’m sure she’ll be more than surprised to see them on her desk first thing.” Emma nodded to Carol, the secretary, who was also known as Ms. Carol Decadence their resident Drag Queen. People had told her Carol used to be Regina’s general, but she couldn’t see it. They left and went to do their usual activities. Henry received his usual goodnight text when he was with her even when he was mad at Regina and wasn’t talking to her, she still sent that text. What she wouldn’t have given as a child to have a mother who fought for her every single second with love no matter what she said or did.

                “Kid, do you know why your mom just adopted you instead of having kids?” Emma asked him. He shrugged.

                “I’m just glad she’s not a rapist,” He said. “Now I assume because she’s a lesbian and didn’t wanna really be with Sheriff Graham. I don’t know Emma, why are you asking that now, you can’t have a baby with mom.” Emma blushed.

                “No, we were just talking about how much she loved you when she adopted you and I just wondered why adoption. You have to understand kid, when you meet someone who adopts a kid and loves them as if they gave birth to them, you want to know what led them to that path.” Henry nodded.

                “Oh, I guess I never thought about that, I always just assumed the curse made her want it,” Henry shrugged.

                “No, I don’t think so, maybe it helped the timing of it all, like what if she had adopted me instead, but the curse time line meant her adopting seventeen years later and not in the early stages.” 

                “I bet you wish mom had adopted you,” Henry laughed.

                “No, life is full of different paths Henry, but right now I really like Regina romantically I can’t imagine being her child. On the other hand, I could see what that life might have looked like, how much happier I would have been until I found out about the curse, until she might have given me back because I was the savior. There is so much potential there for heartbreak for us both. I can’t imagine calling her mother and then knowing Snow. She would have loved me because she would have made me her little princess and then Snow would have snatched me away. I also can’t imagine going through that.”

                “I’m glad she got me then, I don’t think Grandma and Mom could have been co-parents, Grandma would be too upset with you for being mom’s little princess, especially because she wants to be.” Emma cringed.

                “Oh my God, I thought the worse part was being taken away, the worse part would be fighting with Snow for Regina’s attention.” Henry nodded. “Jesus kid, I’m gonna have nightmares tonight.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

                “Oh, your majesty, to what do I owe the pleasure,” Gold said as Regina entered the shop looking uncomfortable. Regina frowned but took a deep breath as she approached the counter.

                “I need a magical remedy for something,” Regina got out. Gold raised an eyebrow.

                “And why pray tale can you not whip it up yourself?” Gold asked.

                “Because I don’t know what it is or how my mother did it to me,” Regina replied crossing her arms.

                “Oh, this is wonderful, tell me everything from when it first happened to why you are just now seeking a remedy, and that’s my price,” Gold told her. Regina sighed, it was small price to admit to masturbation as a child compared to what he could ask for. And she wanted this inferno pain gone.

                “Wow, no one was ever quite so cruel as Cora,” He said inspecting the redness on her fingers as she certainly wasn’t going to allow him to examine her private parts.

                “Unfortunately, I must agree,” Regina muttered. “Well?”

                “Well the herb itself isn’t the problem, that was probably just something to intensify her magic. However, her magic is not what is lingering on you no matter how many times she might have made you repeat the action. This dearie is your own magic manifesting itself, you’re doing this to yourself.”

                “How do I make it stop?” Regina asked.

                “First control your magic, second go see Archie, thirdly Aloe Vera will probably sooth you as you get it under control.”

                 “Why now though, this never happened before,” Regina said.

                “My guess is you must be really interested in that someone whom I assume is Ms. Swan from the way she makes eyes at you and from how everyone else just interested has treated you like a sexual object over the years.”

                “Ugh I’ll make an appointment with Archie,” Regina grumbled before she walked out. She made an appointment with Archie, and the aloe Vera did indeed sooth everything as did her meditation session where she got control of her magic, it was wild from in use and she gathered if she weren’t careful it would start lashing out in other ways. Since she had taken off sick, she put her magic into her garden, that seemed to do the trick of something nice and safe bleeding off energy. She was careful about her apple tree; all magic came with a price after all. Who knew if she’d end up creating magic apples that did who knew what? She’d have to start perhaps incorporating magic back into her work outs, she should keep her fighting skills sharp. It had been quiet, but with magic back who knew what would appear in Storybrooke, she was surprised they hadn’t seen any magical creatures yet.

                Regina had two appointments with Archie that went well even if she hadn’t wanted to talk about her mother, but it seemed to help to at least talk about those incidents concerning her sexuality, she wouldn’t allow anything else, her special work outs had done wonders taking away the excess magic from harming herself and so did her meditation. She was grateful when it had cleared up by Thursday evening maybe she could still salvage her date with Emma though she probably wanted nothing to do with her anymore and she’d deserve whatever response she got. Her doorbell rang startling her, she stood up from where she was meditating before the fire in thought. When she reached the door, she was a little surprised to see Henry and Emma.

                “Isn’t it arcade night?” Regina asked them.

                “No one has seen you in town since Saturday, are you okay?” Emma asked her. “You didn’t go to work all week and I’ve taken in four reports on time.” Regina looked surprised.

                “Four every day this week, that deserves a party,” Regina told her seriously. Emma glared at her.

                “Ha, ha, no seriously you never give Henry to me all week with no explanation,” Emma replied.

                “I was sick,” Regina shrugged. “I didn’t want him to catch it.”

                 “You don’t look sick,” Henry said.

                “I’m better today,” Regina said. “I’m sorry I didn’t ask you to come home tonight, I had said you could stay with Emma all week, so I didn’t want to take your time away.”

                “Thanks Mom but I like when I can see you both.” He hugged her and asked what was for dinner.

                “Whatever you want,” Regina told him as he kicked his shoes off and put them in their place. Emma stood on the doorstep nervously not knowing if she was invited too or what. “Come on Emma you’re letting the heat out.” Emma came in and took off her shoes as well, she usually left them by the door just wherever, but Regina grabbed a pair of heels and put them in the closet. “That’s your spot from now on.” Emma nodded as Regina turned back to Henry who was thinking about Chinese.

                “It’s pork and it’s red and chunky,” Henry explained.

                “Red braised pork belly I think you mean, that usually takes a bit longer, but if I use the pressure cooker, I think I can have us eating soon, but I do need to go to the store for the meat.”

                “I could go,” Emma suggested.

                “No, you and Henry go play video games, I have to get a few other things,” Regina said waving her off. She easily stepped into a pair of heels.

                “Ooh mom, mom can you make pudding for dessert?” Henry asked. Regina nodded.

                “Can I get you anything specific Emma?” Regina asked. “Snacks you like maybe to keep over here.” Emma looked surprised.

                “You still want me over here?” Emma asked.

                “If you still wanna be here,” Regina replied feeling uncomfortable that Henry was around to witness her trying to get Emma back after being a dick.

                 “Only if you swear to say next time that you’re sick, I would have come over and brought you soup and tissues,” Emma said.

                “I know but I just wanted you to take care of Henry, knowing he was fine, made me feel that much better. But I promise and I don’t make promises I can’t keep that next time I will tell you if I am sick.” Emma nodded.

                “Then you are forgiven,” Emma told her. “I like pop tarts and Cheetos and hot chocolate…”

                “With cinnamon I remember,” Regina finished. Emma gave her a smile, which Regina returned easily before she set off for the store. When she came back Henry was yelling angrily that Emma was a cheater and Emma was gloating. She chuckled to herself and made a note that they should probably never play boardgames together at least no time soon at all. She did after all want to give this a real go with Emma, who knew the next time another hot female who wasn’t afraid of her would walk into town.

                “I’m back guys,” Regina called. They eagerly hurried into the kitchen for snacks.

                “Don’t ruin your dinner,” Regina called after Henry. Emma only paused as she noticed her favorite beer among the groceries. She took one and Regina handed her a bottle opener. “The same goes for you missy, don’t eat too many pop tarts.” Emma grinned and nodded.

                “I won’t Regi, I always have room for dinner and pudding,” Emma laughed.

                “Ma come on!” Henry yelled. Emma hurried out. Regina soon had the house smelling delicious, Emma truly could have downed the entire box of pop tarts and Cheetos, but cut herself and Henry off early, she really did need to save room for dinner. 

                “Dinner’s ready!” Regina called. “Go wash up!” They both hurried to clean their hands and were excited to see a shared bowl nearly overflowing with the delicious pork belly steaming in the middle of the table, next to a bowl of rice. There were three rice bowls arranged neatly on place mats next to soup bowls, chopsticks, and Chinese soup spoons.

                “Oh, mom so cool!” Henry exclaimed as they sat down.

                “Unfortunately, you need your vegetables, so I threw in some cauliflower and roasted garlic soup.  I know it’s not Chinese, but it was quick and easy.” Henry pouted.

                “Is the rice at least real rice?” Henry asked.

                “Henry of course it is, you know my rule we eat Chinese or Japanese or Korean we are eating real rice.” They chuckled knowing they both loved rice but struggled with the healthy alternative of cauliflower rice.

                “This looks amazing, I didn’t even know you had such authentic earth ware dishes, but then again I am not surprised when do you ever do anything halfway.” Regina suddenly looked guilty and Henry frowned.

                “Mom…” Henry started.  Emma looked up from where she was pausing in trying her soup. She had to try whatever Regina put in front of her. She wasn’t a picky eater and it was miles better than the slop she had been fed as a child healthy or not.

                “Hear me out,” Regina said quickly seeing his frown. “Magic was making me sick.”

                “So, you used it?” Henry asked trying and failing to raise a single eyebrow like his mother did when she was calling bullshit. Emma now looked concerned that there had been something magically wrong with Regina and she had been suffering.

                “Yes, but not because I wanted to break my promise. You see magic can run rampant if you don’t control it, that means it can hurt someone you love without meaning too or it can even hurt you if you aren’t careful. Magic can be a curse or a blessing, but I’ve always learned that depended on the practitioner. Anyway, my point is you take care of gifts especially when those things are alive like plants, it needs to be tended too. I forgot that and my magic attacked me when I was most vulnerable, so I’ve been regaining my control and that means using up some energy in different ways like helping flowers grow, but not food because I’m not sure what kind of price that comes with yet.  And I made this dinner set yes with magic. But if I want to keep everyone safe, I have to bleed off excess energy just like I trim back the apple tree a little bit or the rose bushes to keep it healthy.”

                “So, you’re not casting evil spells?” Henry asked.

                “No, just probably making our flowers really tall now,” Regina told him. Henry grinned.

                “Cool,” He said before digging into his still hot soup, no doubt he realized helped by Regina’s magic.

                “Cool, so do you want to magic me a new bed, so I don’t have to buy one?” Emma asked.

                “Seems like a waste of time and energy,” Regina told after swallowing her own spoonful of soup.

                “Why, otherwise, David and I would have to huff and puff up the stairs on our day off,” Emma whined. Regina chuckled.

                “I just thought if the first date went well, you’d just probably sleep over here more often than not, so why waste money on a new bed or all that labor and time when my bed is like not even three months old.” Emma blushed a deep red.

                “Regina the kid,” Emma whispered.

                “I know about sex Emma!” Henry chimed in with a huge grin. Regina chuckled darkly at how red Emma’s face got.

                “Anyway dear, I was not referring to sex, I was under the impression that maybe you liked cuddling plus it’s still winter and Henry tells me you’re a little heater.” Henry giggled.

                “I am unusually warm,” Emma murmured still blushing as she finally tried the soup. The garlic was what became her favorite part of the soup. “Amazing how you make vegetables taste good.”

                “Thank you dear,” Regina said. They all finished their soup though Regina made sure Emma had a second helping.

                “Why do I have to have more soup?” Emma whined as Regina served Henry rice and topped it with several pieces of meat as well as her own bowl.

                “Because Emma you eat worse than our child and I need to make sure you eat healthy, I’m not sitting in the hospital worried over you because you had a heart attack. So, for now you get two servings of vegetables first.” Emma whined but ate her soup without complaint. Pleased Regina served her the delicious pork belly over her rice.

                “Oh, sweet Jesus woman, you make magic in the kitchen, how can you need to do other stuff to bleed off the magic, it is seriously all in your food,” Emma moaned. Regina took a sip of her wine as she wondered how similar Emma’s moans would be in bed.

                “Thank you dear,” Regina replied trying not to look too thirsty. Seriously it had been way too long since she got laid. But she couldn’t just jump Emma first chance she got just because she was sexually interested. Emma said she wanted to date her, and if Regina were honest, she didn’t want this to be a friends with benefits thing. She wanted it to last, to be loved again, and she wanted Henry to be happy just like he was now smiling at them both as he savored his rice. Emma however was struggling with her rice without meat to spear.

                “Hold your chopsticks like this dear and then use a more scooping motion, you aren’t skilled enough to grab a single grain of rice.” Henry chuckled alongside Regina as they watched Emma spill. Regina waved her hand and gave Emma training finger holes she had gotten for Henry as a child. They laughed, but at least it gave her better control and she finally managed to scoop rice into her mouth. They praised her.

                “Oh, I’m so stuffed, Regina roll me to the couch.”  They laughed as Regina cleaned up the table with Henry’s help. She packed the food way and watched him carefully wash the dishes and set them in the drying rack. Once Emma had trudged in and dried the dishes, she found space in her china cabinet.  She wiped down the table and pushed the chairs in after sweeping the floor of rice near Emma’s chair. Once the kitchen was clean, they all retired to the living room where she watched her son and Emma play video games.

                “So, what should I pack on our date?” Regina asked Emma. Emma suddenly tensed.

                “You still wanna go away with me on the weekend?” Emma asked unsure as she glanced at her. Regina nodded.

                “If you still wanna go with me,” Regina said from behind her book. Henry looked between them both and rolled his eyes.

                “Mom, Emma still planned it, she wants to go,” Henry told her. Regina gave a little smile. “Grandpa and I are going to go camping.”

                “That sounds fun, and what are we doing Emma?”

                “Um… you know it’s a surprise, anyway you should pack casual clothes and flats we will be doing some walking. Um…and some clothes for a night out be that your type of night out or my type of night out I can’t say so just be prepared.” Regina laughed.

                “What that’s a lot of clothes for my type of night out do I need a slutty dress for a gay club, do I need an elegant dress for Broadway, opera, concert, or fancy dinner. Do I need my fat clothes for dinner or am I going somewhere I will eat light? Or are we going to an Imagine Dragons concert because then that means I need to put together an outfit that goes with my band t-shirt that I will buy there. Oh my God will there be a chocolate tour because then I need my extra fat clothes. Emma I will bring the whole house.”

                “Wait what will you eat that means you will bring your fat clothes?”

                “Sushi,” Henry and Regina answered at the same time.

                “Or Korean BBQ, you know what I’m packing my fat clothes, you’re taking me to Korean BBQ,” Regina decided. 

                “What no if you are going to Korean BBQ, I’m coming on this date too,” Henry declared.

                “Honey don’t cockblock that’s not little prince behavior,” Regina told him. Henry pouted.

                “But is it really?” Henry asked. “You’re a Queen you can’t do that stuff with Emma on the first date.” Henry made a face. Regina huffed.

                “Fine mom,” Regina grumbled making a face. Emma was blushing super hard now.

                “I’m glad we could see eye to eye young lady,” Henry told her. “I mean it you’re a Queen so act like one.”

                 “Yes Dad,” Regina intentionally pouted.

                “And not the Evil Queen young lady,” Henry added.

                “Look at you are catching loop holes,” Regina laughed.

                “I learned from the best,” Henry grinned.

                “You’ll outsmart Gold yet one day,” Regina told him. “God knows he comes for everyone at one point or another.”

                “Good so it’s settled I am coming for Korean BBQ.”

                “How about I promise to take you another time, you know I won’t object to going back if the place is good.”

                “And we stay the whole weekend and have it at both dinners?” Henry asked.

                “I can agree to that,” Regina said. “We’ll make it a food weekend, I’ll wear my extra fat clothes.” Henry cheered.

                “Make sure you find a good place Emma,” Henry told her sternly. She nodded but didn’t answer now worried that Regina was expecting sex over the weekend despite Henry. And she had to get Imagine Dragon tickets now because who knew they both liked Imagine Dragons.

                “Emma all I am expecting is Korean BBQ now relax and tell me what I should pack?”

                “Casual there won’t be anything super fancy except the place we stay, I’m otherwise not that rich.” Regina nodded.

                “I can do that,” Regina replied as she nodded in thought of what she could pack. Soon Regina was engrossed in her book and not noticing that Emma often got distracted in the game to watch her read quietly in her arm chair with her legs crossed. Henry rolled his eyes at his mother when she made them lose for the fourth time.

                “I’m going to bed,” He announced.

                “What why kid, it’s half an hour until bed time,” She said. He glared at her.

                “I can tell when your attention is more on mom then me, Emma, I’m not stupid,” He said. He hugged her and kissed her goodnight. He went over to Regina who was looking at them amused. She kissed him and gave him his goodnight hug.

                “Don’t forget to brush your teeth and floss before bed sweetheart.” He nodded.

                “Yes mom. Goodnight,” He said. He went upstairs. Emma turned off the game as Regina put down her book. She tentatively moved to the couch.

                “Do you wanna retire to the study for a drink?” Regina asked. “I could start a fire.” Emma nodded as she worried her bottom lip. Regina poured them a glass of cider each and started a fire, this time lobbing a small fireball at the wood. “I am really sorry I didn’t tell you, I didn’t know what was wrong and after I figured out it was magical well I kind of needed to be alone to get control.” Emma nodded.

                “I understand now, to be honest I couldn’t have been much help, I don’t have magic, but I do still want to be there for you even if it’s just so you can tell me what’s going on and say I need you to keep Henry safe.” Regina nodded.

                “I meant what I said earlier, I’ll be more honest about that and not just push you away. I’m not used to someone caring for me, as you can imagine.” Emma nodded.

                “Henry said as much, but he was starting to miss you, he didn’t understand why he hadn’t at least seen you, you know?” Regina nodded.

                “That was my mistake I won’t make it again,” Regina replied.  Emma took a drink, but she was still tense. “What’s wrong?”

                “Nothing,” Emma lied. Regina raised an eyebrow at her. She gave her back a small grin realizing that Regina was calling bullshit.

                “It’s just um…I know I make jokes, but I’m nervous.”

                “About being alone with me, we’ve been alone before, we’re alone now,” Regina said.

                “No, not exactly being alone, but the things that can happen when we’re alone now that our relationship has changed….” Emma trailed off looking away from Regina.

                “Oh, you mean sex,” Regina said. “What about it…would I be your first woman?”  Emma blushed even harder.

                “No, maybe like the third, but it’s just you’re a Goddess, you were with a Dragon as your first, and…and well I’m just me and as much as I want too. I don’t know that I’m ready too.”

                “Emma, I am interested in you sexually at the least, I can admit that. But Maleficent was still just a woman, I enjoyed it because it was my choice to be with her. And I will enjoy us because it is my choice to be with you when the time comes. Now whether that is this weekend or not remains to be seen. I can wait for you to be ready if it’s six months from now or more, then so be it. I want to be with you when we both are ready for it and not a moment before either of us are ready understand?”

                “I understand,” Emma said smiling as she relaxed. Regina patted her leg.

                “Now tell me about your week, Henry didn’t let you get a word in all of dinner.” They talked late into the night and even rolled their eyes at how she had, had to keep Snow from trying to corner her about mother daughter stuff.

                “Stay, it’s late,” Regina whispered in the dying embers of the fire. “Besides you’ve had more than a few glasses of cider.” Emma nodded.

                “The kid?”

                “Would love to have you for breakfast.” Regina put the glasses in the kitchen and pulled Emma upstairs.

                “Maybe I should stay in the guest bedroom,” Emma whispered. Regina pulled her into her bedroom.

                “You can go after I fall asleep,” Regina told her. Regina found a t-shirt and shorts for Emma to change into. She gave her an extra toothbrush she kept for guests and sent her to the guest bathroom. She changed into her silk nightgown that went to mid-thigh before she went through her nightly routine of washing off the makeup, brushing her teeth, and moisturizing her body. She was sitting up in bed waiting for Emma when she tentatively knocked.

                “Come in.” Emma came in and gave her a big smile. She stayed on top of the blankets though as they held hands and Regina talked more about finding safe ways to bleed off her magic without causing problems like accidentally creating magic apples. Emma could listen to her all night she realized as Regina’s voice lulled her to sleep. Regina fell asleep as well not long after using magic to put Emma gently under the blankets and to her happiness Emma was a little heater.

               

 

 

 

 

                Regina thrashed in her sleep and cried out. Emma woke with a start realizing she had fallen asleep and had somehow ended up with her arms around Regina. She was trying to back away from Regina and gently wake her when she got punched in the face. As soon as the punch pushed her back and she cried out. Regina stopped moving and the only sound was her gasping.

                “Oh my God Emma,” Regina cried as she turned on the light. “I’m so sorry.”

                “Mom?” Henry called from the hall sleep still in his voice.

                “It’s okay honey,” Regina called back as she looked horrified at the blood now pouring from Emma’s nose as she sat on the floor looking startled that Regina punched her that hard, could punch that hard. “Just go back to bed, I just had a bad dream.”

                “Do you want me to lay with you?” Henry asked.

                “Aww thank you my little prince, but I’m all right this time, I just need to shower, and I don’t want to keep you up before school. You rest, I’ll come cuddle up if I need you.”

                “Okay mom,” Henry said. She heard him go back to his room and shut the door. She turned back to Emma.

                “I’m really sorry I didn’t mean to punch you for real, I didn’t realize I was dreaming until I heard you cry out.”

                “It’s okay I’m just actually really startled you punch that hard.” Regina cringed. “I mean you hit me before but never like that, and you were angry I never thought I would think you were holding back.”

                “Come here let me see,” Regina said. She turned on more lights. She looked at the clock it was a little bit before five in the morning. She grabbed some tissues for the blood. Emma moved her hand as she sat on the edge of the bed.

                “Oh, shit I broke it,” Regina told her.

                “Damn girl,” Emma said. “I’ll just get dressed and go to the hospital, no need to worry the kid.”

                “No, I can fix it, you don’t need to suffer,” Regina told her. “If you will allow me to, I can fix it with magic. If you trust me.” Emma nodded.

                “I trust you.” Regina gave her a small smile and raised her hand. A gentle purple light emanated from her hand and it felt warm against Emma’s skin, and when she could smell it, she smelled fresh cut apples and cinnamon. “Thank you.”

                “Thank you for trusting me,” Regina said when she had lowered her hand.

                “Can I ask what had you so scared in your dreams?” Emma asked as Regina moved away to pull out fresh sheets that weren’t covered in her blood and Regina’s sweat.

                “I’d rather you didn’t, I have them sometimes, but usually no one’s around for me to hurt, so I’m really sorry.”

                “It’s all right, you were dreaming, I just hope whatever you punched in your dream got it as bad as me,” Emma laughed.

                “It did,” Regina told her having a small chuckle as well. Emma helped her get the bed changed quickly.

                “I can go to the guest room if you like,” Emma said. Regina shook her head.

                “No, you stay here and get some more rest, I need to do my morning work out it’s the only thing that really calms me after an intense one. Since you’re here, I’ll go on my run, but I should be back in time to make breakfast for you and Henry.” Emma nodded sensing Regina didn’t want the company, but also, she had asked her to stay because of Henry. She watched Regina grab workout clothes and go into the bathroom. She heard the shower going for only a short minute before Regina was dry and back in her work out clothes. Long pants for the winter, sports shirt and jacket. She pulled her hair back into a ponytail before grabbed her phone, wireless headphones and a fitness tracker.

                “See you later.” Regina left the house as soon as she was running and breathing in the cool early morning air, she started to feel better as with each breath she pushed images of Leo holding her down out of her mind. She ran all the way to the park where she joined a group of her black guards for an intense work out session as she had every morning this week without Henry. Maybe though now that he was more behaved again, she could trust him to be alone in the morning and not run off to Boston or who knew where. 

                “That must have been some run,” Emma said when she came back just after sunrise heading straight for her shower.

                “Yeah it was a good work out today,” Regina said as Emma rubbed the sleep from her eyes.

                “You know if you want maybe we can run together some mornings, I may eat poorly but I’m good at exercising,” Emma grinned. Regina grinned back.

                “I’d like that,” Regina said before she disappeared into the bathroom. Emma found things to shower with in the guest bathroom before she joined Regina downstairs, she was making oatmeal sweetened with fruits and honey.  Although she saw Regina down two eggs before anything else. Henry came down not long after she had set the table. They ate in silence, and Henry didn’t question for a second that Emma was still there and wearing the same clothes as last night.

                “What do you want for lunch today honey?” Regina asked.

                “Mom it’s pizza Friday,” Henry reminded.

                “Oh right, in that case Emma you’re responsible for lunch today,” Regina joked.

                “What you’re the one rolling in money.”

                “That is true dear, but aren’t you the parent that sends him to school with lunch money?” Emma opened her mouth to argue, but really what was she going to say.

                “Damn you’re right,” Emma grumbled under breath.

                “I’m sorry what was that dear?” Regina asked clearly amused as she sipped her coffee and Henry laughed as Emma pulled out her wallet.

                “I said you were right gees,” Emma groaned. “Maybe I should rethink this whole girlfriend thing if this is how you are going to tease me.” Regina smirked.

                “You’d never, and I’ll tell you why, first of all you’d have to eat whatever Snow cooks when you are too cheap to go to the diner. Secondly, I’m a good woman you’re not going to find better in this town anyway, just like I’m not going to find better, third I’m hot, four I’m your boss I shouldn’t have to explain that one more.” Regina gave her a look that suggested all kinds of things would go down in her office and it made Emma gulp. “Fifth I would tell Snow that we can’t be together because I am not together with you and she would make your life hell. On second thought regardless of anything else let’s do number five as a joke on her and watch her face crumble.” Regina was basically now evil laughing at the breakfast table.

                “Who are you?” Emma asked. “Do you like spend any time on your Evil thoughts or do they just happen?”

                “They generally tend to just happen, but then I spend time planning them out perfectly,” Regina answered truthfully. “Like that time, I wanted you to accuse me of building a castle here. Honestly brilliant piece of work, your face when you realized it was playground equipment.”

                “You are a so mischievous,” Emma declared.  Regina frowned.

                “Then my plan isn’t good enough,” Regina said nodding as she thought. “No, you may not tell your mother we broke up even as a joke at least not yet.”

                “What do you mean not yet?” Henry asked.

                “Well obviously we have to date a while and I need to spend time with her, and once she’s so happy I can’t take it anymore, I tell her Emma and I broke up and my relationship with her is absolutely over. I will crush her, and it will be beautiful.”

                “Regina!” Emma cried.

                “Mom!” Henry scolded. Regina sat back in her chair and pouted.

                “Fine, I’ll just like plan a community picnic or something then for the spring,” Regina grumbled as if this was terrible.

                “Don’t act like you haven’t had it planned for months,” Emma accused her. Regina shrugged a shoulder delicately. They shook their head at her.

                “You see what I have to deal with when you aren’t around, sometimes she’s just so insubordinate. And she’s always running off when I ground her.” Emma nodded as Regina chuckled at Henry.

                “Anyway, when you get to work tell David, I want the reports ready to be signed and delivered on Monday morning. I will be swamped, and I have no time for today or the weekend’s reports to be late on top of next week.” 

                “Yes, madam mayor.”

                “And you mister can plan on dinner at Granny’s, and afterwards we can go to the Arcade before you stay with your grandparents, since Emma wants to leave early.” Henry nodded pleased that even though Regina was working late, she would still make time for him before a weekend away.

                “Will you come say goodbye before you go?” Henry asked pouting. She smiled at him.

                “Of course, my prince anything for you,” She told him. He grinned.

                “So, you’ll take me, and I can have Korean BBQ already?” 

                “Okay maybe not that,” Regina told him. Emma laughed at them as she reminded him of their food weekend in their extra fat clothes. He reminded her again to pick a good place before they all cleaned up breakfast and walked into town. Emma had left her bug at the loft thinking that she’d need to go for a long walk after being officially rejected. After they saw Henry onto the school bus they headed into Granny’s where Ruby had their coffee orders waiting in to go cups.

                “And your morning bear claw Emma.”

                “Thanks Ruby, I’m going to save it for later though, I already had breakfast with Regina.” Ruby grinned.

                “Oh, so did you two…”

                “Ms. Lucas I would think that would be absolutely none of your business,” Regina scowled before she pulled Emma out of the diner after slamming money onto the counter. “I swear that nosy little pup…”

                “Just leave it be Regina, it’s just Ruby, you know how she is,” Emma reminded. Regina let out a sigh.

                “Fine.” Before they knew it, they were at the Sheriff’s station.

                “Here I thought I was walking you to work,” Emma laughed.

                “Not today, have a good day at work darling,” Regina told her before she tentatively kissed Emma’s cheek. Emma blushed hard, it was the sweetest kiss cheek she’d ever had and somehow, she’d knew she would love those as much as she’d love the one that would grace her lips. “Oh, and Sheriff remember tell your Deputy not to be late on Monday.” Emma gave her a big smile and nodded.

                “I will, have a good day at work too.” Regina smiled at her. They parted ways, Emma watched her go before she went into the station. David was already there, and he grinned at her when she came in.

                “Soooo your mother wants to know if you made it official and consummated the marriage.”

                “Marriage what, we haven’t even been on a date,” Emma cried her eyes widening in fear.

                “What no your mom said you two started courting, and when you didn’t come home, we could only assume that you put a ring on it and consummated the marriage ancient times style, once the ring is given your married that’s why you don’t accept Jewelry right away. And she said you bought some jewelry.”

                “Oh my God, I bought a necklace like a long time ago in my obsession because I thought it would look pretty on her, and I never had the balls to give it to her. But there was no consummation and there was no marriage.”

                “Oh well perhaps you ought to stop your mother from barging into Regina’s office with her plans for the actual ceremony. She’s convinced that she and Regina have true love, obviously purely in a mother to daughter capacity so it should work out between you and Regina it’s guaranteed.” Emma let out a groan.

                “You’re coming with me as back up, we might need two hands to put the fire out.” They ran over to city hall, but didn’t see any flames, so it was agreed that they would check with Regina’s secretary that Snow had perhaps missed Regina to already head to the school.  When they got upstairs all they could hear was Snow crying hysterically in Regina’s office. They rushed passed an unconcerned Carol who was looking bored as she probably called David since his cell went off and she then abruptly hung up.

                “Regina no don’t kill….” Emma started, but what she found was an annoyed looking Regina gently rubbing Snow’s back as she had her head in her lap on the couches.

                “What’s going on?” Emma asked. 

                “YOU!” Snow howled. She got up and went to Emma looking angry. “How could you have not given her jewelry yet; this weekend was the short honeymoon!” Regina just rolled her eyes.

                “I’m just trying to get to know her first, not marry her before that, it’s the least that she deserves from our relationship.”

                “Emma this isn’t about you, this is about me, how can I face her knowing my daughter treats her like a whore?” Regina’s mouth dropped open and David suddenly looked as if there were more interesting things around Regina’s office.

                “I would never, but we aren’t in fairytale land, I want to be her friend first, girlfriend second, and if we progress that far her wife third if she’ll have me. But I won’t skip to the part where we act like we’ve been married for years. We have a lot to learn from and about one another.”

                “Why not it was love at first sight!” Snow yelled.

                “I don’t believe in that, lust maybe, but not love and if you keep jumping the gun, how will we ever find love.” Snow screamed at her and ran back to Regina, apologizing that Emma turned out to be such a cad.” Emma threw her hands up in the air and she could just see Regina evil chuckling so hard inside as she planned on something.

                “David why don’t you take Snow to work, I think that is enough excitement for today, don’t you?” He nodded and coaxed Snow out as she cried about having to get Emma to do better. They shut the door behind them as Regina patted the seat indicating for Emma to sit.

                “I’m so sorry about her, I really had no idea until I walked into the station,” Emma said.  Regina shrugged.

                “I know I shouldn’t be surprised, this is Snow.” Regina let out a breath. “To be clear, I wouldn’t think of any jewelry as a proposal or binding us in marriage unless you asked, and I wanted it.” Emma looked relieved.  

                “Thank the stars for that.” Regina nodded as she picked up a binder.

                “Now I want you to look at this, so this horror is burned in your mind if the day ever comes that you get married either to me or someone else, so you know that you want Snow to have no part in this.” She opened the binder. “First up the swan theme.”  Emma’s eyes widened.

                “Are those, those swan dresses with the neck with extra feathers around the bottom.”

                “Mhmm Hmm,” Regina answered as she turned the page to the next theme Emma didn’t need to see all the details just the start of the horrors.

                “The uh picnic theme including our dresses in picnic blanket print with food stuck to it.”

                “Oh no…” Regina just nodded as she turned the page to the next theme and thankfully the last.

                “And lastly Apple Cinnamon theme, you dressed up as a cinnamon tree, it looks like a Ceylon to be exact and me as an Apple tree unfortunately she chose Red Delicious…” Regina scoffed. “Always a honey crisp I don’t do Red Delicious there is nothing delicious about it.”

                “That’s what you’re upset about?”

                “No more upset she thinks I would serve chicken that was soaked in only apple juice and cinnamon before baking at a temperature that would serve raw chicken to my guests.” Emma cringed. “No, the real cringe worthy part is she’s soaking it right now and was going to bring it for me to try on Sunday night when we returned.” Emma looked green.

                “None of this can ever see the light of day.” Regina nodded.

                “Good, I knew we were compatible Ms. Swan, now as much as I would like to burn this, I thought you might like the honors.” 

                “How about we do it together at the end of our first day of our weekend date to celebrate.” Regina smiled.

                “Perfect, but this travels in your things, I can’t have it tainting my stuff.” Emma laughed.

                “Okay, I’m now saving up kisses until we get there, I’m at three today alone at your cuteness.” Regina blushed for once. She hadn’t been called cute since Daniel.

                “Not cute,” She murmured.

                “Oh, you most definitely are Madam Mayor,” Emma said as she stood up. She bent down and kissed Regina’s cheek. “Now you really have a good day today.” She took the binder and headed out leaving a smiling Regina sitting on her couch for awhile before she got to work for the day. She worked all day to catch up on the work she had neglected during the week. Thankfully a lot of it was easy to make quick work of and she at least managed to call a few people with her decision on things whom she had been scheduled to meet with. That at least allowed her to cross a few appointments off her calendar for next week. At five she packed it all up for the night to be finished on Monday as there was nothing pressing that couldn’t wait any longer. She walked to the diner where Henry was already biting into a double cheeseburger with Snow and David.

                “Where’s your mother?” Regina asked him after he had put his burger down to greet her. Although she was careful to stop him from getting ketchup on her coat. She kissed his forehead though lovingly.

                “Packing still she can’t decide what to wear,” Henry told her.

                “That’s because she’s got nothing,” Snow told him shaking her head.

                “All right well you enjoy your dinner with your grandparents, I’ll just go help Emma and then we can go to the arcade when you are done.” He nodded. “Eat slowly Henry since I see you got a double cheeseburger out of them and onion rings you are as bad as your mother.” Henry grinned. She kissed his forehead and left out of the diner again. She headed instead for the Charming’s loft. She walked up the stairs and knocked lightly.

                “Did you guys forget….” Emma stopped when she opened the door.

                “Oh, Hey Regina, Henry’s already at the diner,” Emma said.

                “I know, I was just there, I thought you could use some help packing, they tell me you have nothing to wear.” Emma grimaced as she let Regina in.

                “Well it’s not exactly that I have nothing,” Emma told her blushing. Regina put down her bag and hung up her coat.

                “Okay good then this won’t be too hard, I may pack my entire house, but I do know how to pack unlike your parents who are clearly not here helping.” She headed upstairs to Emma’s room. There was no door on it, she wondered how Emma or the Charmings got any privacy at all.  Her eyes settled on the bed and she realized Emma had two pairs of jeans, her black shirt she had worn on her birthday, and five tang tops. She paused, Emma really had nothing.

                “I know, I know I have nothing, and I’m going to look like a total street rat next to you.”

                “So, we’ll go super casual, we’ll only have the clothes on our backs some panties because you really shouldn’t travel without extra panties, and make up for me, because my face at least has to stay on.  Regina packed Emma’s toiletries, a towel, her underwear was already in the case, some socks and closed the suitcase. “Done now let us go have dinner with our son.”

                “Oh, you’re like the best woman,” Emma told her. “I’m saving one more kiss for you.” Regina grinned as she pulled Emma downstairs. They went back to the diner and joined the Charmings and Henry for dinner. They all lingered as Regina and Emma ate before much to Regina’s annoyance the charmings joined them at the arcade, though when her and Henry smite them in laser tag it more than made up for it.


	5. Chapter Five

Chapter Five

 

                “Ready to go?” Emma asked showing up early at eight in the morning. Regina smiled at her, of course Emma was for once on time. 

                “Yes, you can park your car next to mine for while we’re gone,” Regina replied.

                “What no, Regina we’re taking the bug, she’s great on road trips.”

                “Emma does your death trap play anything other than cassette tapes and have seat warmers?” Regina asked her. Emma made a face.

                “No,” Emma grumbled.

                “Then we’re in my car for this journey.” Emma huffed but nodded, it wasn’t like it wasn’t cold out there. Regina had chosen to go the weekend in a black and white checkered dress with black winter leggings. She threw on warm pastel coat that was the same length as her dress to just above the knees and of course lavender scarf to match the coat. She slipped into some white winter boots that had a modest heel and grips on the bottom so she wouldn’t go sliding on any ice easily. She started to put on a hat but stuffed it in her matching purse for now.

                “All right let’s go, my bag is already in my trunk.” Emma nodded as Regina picked up a picnic basket. Once Emma had parked her car next to Regina’s and retrieved her small bag, she climbed into the passenger side of the car and peaked into the basket as her stomach growled. She had skipped breakfast eager to start her first date and weekend away with Regina.

                “There’s an omelet in there for the both of us, I knew you’d skip breakfast,” Regina said.  “But you can eat it once we’re on the road, we need to say goodbye to Henry one last time.” Emma nodded as she smiled at Regina. They made it to the loft quickly and went up. Henry was up and looking worried as Mary Margaret burned the pancakes.

                “There’s a basket up in your room full of food, it should keep for your camping trip,” Regina whispered.

                “You’re the best mom.” He kissed her cheek as Emma slipped him cash for lunch at the diner if necessary. She made a face at her mother’s cooking too behind her back. David was the only one who looked excited to be eating her whatever it was she was making.  

                “All right you be good for your grandparents all right, I’ll call you tonight,” Regina promised.

                “Video chat, will you send me pictures of where Emma takes you?” Henry asked.

                “I will take lots of pictures, I promise,” Regina told him. “David, please look after Henry out there in the woods, I don’t want to come back and find out he fell into a spot where there are mines.”

                “Oh, Regina you know we’ll look after him,” David told her. “He’s family.” Regina rolled her eyes not missing the implication that she wasn’t.

                “Oh, have fun guys,” Snow said as she put two burnt pancakes in front of Henry. Regina waved her hand, and to everyone except herself, Emma, and Henry the pancakes still looked like Snows. In fact, they were Granny’s. Henry gave her a big smile before digging in. He was starting to like his mom using magic especially if it saved him from stomachaches while she was gone.

                “We will,” Emma said.

                “Oh, and have your appetites ready when you come back, I insist we have a meal no matter how late you get back. The chicken will be done marinating by then!”

                “Oh, so can’t wait,” Emma lied.  Regina turned to go when Snow gave a sob.

                 “No goodbye Mother?” Snow asked. Regina’s face cringed so hard Emma thought she might just kill herself by fire to ever avoid this again.

                “Oh, we’re doing this really?” Regina asked. Snow nodded as she engulfed Regina in a hug and widened her eyes. She groaned, why did Henry have to look so much like the Charmings, she missed the days when she had cursed herself and never saw it. And damn it why did she have to suffer first to watch Snow suffer later.  She tentatively reached out and gave Snow one pat on the back.  That seemed to be enough it was certainly more physical affection then she had ever shown Snow.  Snow cried happy tears as she finally hugged Emma goodbye and went to David. They left and once in the car Emma burst out laughing.

                “I just cannot with Snow,” Emma said. “You barely touched her, and you would have thought you had kissed her and made a declaration of maternal love.” Regina glared.

                “Ugh I don’t wanna talk about it, I just need my coffee now.” She drove off heading for the town line. Emma poured her some coffee from a black thermos. “Don’t worry your coffee is in the gray and just how you like it.” Emma beamed at her and had her own cup of coffee before she put an address into the gps for Regina to follow.

                “Oooh New York, what will we do there Ms. Swan?” Regina asked before taking the bite of omelet offered once they were over the town line, because she wasn’t sure if she’d throw up again like last time. One reason she had delayed her own breakfast.

                “Aside from Korean BBQ you find out as each event occurs that is the deal,” Emma told her. Regina pouted. Once their breakfast and coffee were done, Regina turned on her music and their seat warmers. Emma spent the first hour mesmerized at how lovely Regina’s voice was as she sang along to Shakira and Prince Royce’s song Déjà vu.

                “I’m sorry I should put on something you can actually understand,” Regina said as she happened to glance over at Emma and saw her watching her.

                “No, no don’t, I like listening to you sing in Spanish, it’s beautiful, what are you singing about though?” Emma asked. “You like this one more than the others because you weren’t singing before.”

                “It is one of my favorites, it’s about going through the pain of loving again, it feels like déjà vu like you’ve been here before, but not just the love, the pain as well. And they are singing that they won’t be the ones to speak of love again.”

                “And you relate?” Emma asked. Regina shrugged.

                “It’s been a long time since I have loved someone Emma, but you know that by now,” Regina replied.

                “Not really, the book doesn’t really talk about you, and Snow doesn’t talk either, she just said the past is in the past. She just wants her mother back. I never really got the full story and Henry never knew it.” Regina looked surprised that one Snow refused to talk about it and two that Henry had kept his promise to her and not spoken of the story even to Emma once they’d had a chance to talk after the curse was broken.

                “Oh, and here I thought you were just sympathetic towards me in the end and that’s why you were defending me, that and Henry begged you.”

                “I have to admit you made me hate you for a bit, but honestly I’ve liked you from the moment I said hi, and you just always made me so hot and bothered when you were being all bitchy. I don’t know why but it attracted me.” Regina chuckled.

                “One should date someone who loves even their flaws,” Regina replied. Emma smiled. “There’s something in the back for you on the floor.” Emma’s eyes opened wide and she turned in her seat. Regina chuckled as Emma pushed up on her tippy toes before she finally came back with a yellow rose.

                “I thought you might like it because your favorite color is yellow, and a yellow rose represents our new friendship and the joy I feel having my first ever date with you.” Emma bit her lip.

                “Why are you so sweet, I’m supposed to be wowing you on this date not the other way around,” Emma sniffed.

                “I like to have my own surprises.” Emma reached over and gave her a hug and a peck on the cheek. It made Regina smile wider at her as she kept her eyes on the road. They fell silent for a moment.

                “Um…can I ask then what happened between you two, why there is or was so much animosity. Although at this point grateful because of Henry and not having to use an outhouse, and car seat warmers.” Regina chuckled.

                “Yeah, I don’t miss the Enchanted Forest that is for sure, women’s rights are way nicer here.”  Emma nodded. “But I suppose I should tell you; this is in part is the start of your own origins who knows if Snow would have ever met David. I made a decision to do this right and that means honesty.” Emma nodded.

                “I promise I will be just as honest about my own past even about the things I’d rather not talk about.” Regina nodded.

                “I’ll hold you to that because I’d rather not talk about it, but I’m going to do this trust thing right and then proceed to enjoy my first date.” Emma nodded as Regina turned the radio lower again. “My mother was abusive, that should probably go without saying, she pushed and pushed for me to be the perfect Queen. She controlled everything, my only solace was going out horseback riding, I was often accompanied by our stable boy Daniel when I could ride out farther then our paddock. At first, we didn’t talk, but then Daddy started saying stay out longer, have a picnic, so it led to us talking. Daniel was my friend first and that’s why it’s so important to me that we also work on our friendship.” Emma nodded.

                “So, you are bisexual?” Emma asked thinking that could make for interesting fun. Regina shook her head.

                “My mother killed girls I so much as looked at sideways, she just seemed to always know when I was even slightly attracted. So, when Daniel told me he liked me at that point I was so desperate for love I knew he’d slip under her radar. She hated that I was an abomination, but she thought it would at least keep me from trying to date the stable boy for instance.”

                “Your father never stopped her?” Emma asked.

                “He couldn’t, mother had magic, and yeah I did some messed up things, but Mother was pure evil I have never been able to match her cruelty not that I tried. I spent most of my life afraid of magic, but it turned into the only thing that could help me. Normally Princesses make wishes and light magic makes it all better. Except for some reason the Blue Fairy never saw fit to save me.”

                “Of course, you jumped at the chance to use Dark magic,” Emma grumbled. Regina nodded.

                “And when you use magic for evil it can be rather corruptive, and it doesn’t help if you are angry and hurt. And I was deeply so. Daniel represented freedom for me, he wasn’t afraid of mother. Anyway, Just after my thirteenth birthday, mother unexpectedly sent me out on a ride, she even gave me new riding jacket in my favorite color. She said you’ve been so obedient and thorough in your studies. First bit of praise or gift that I actually liked that had come for her since I learned to walk and curtsy early.”

                “Dear god who makes a poor baby learn to curtsy.”

                “My mother, I was the talk of the Kingdom for weeks about my manners, the perfect princess. Anyway, I was so stupid, I was eager for any praise any tiny bit of love from that woman. I should have stayed suspicious, but no I was too focused on that love like for the first time I was enough for her.  On that ride, Daniel and I were just kissing, when we heard a scream. It was your mother; she was nine years old and her horse was out of control. I could see that she was not an experienced rider and her horse had been spooked. So, I got on my horse and I pulled her off hers.”

                “You saved her life.” Regina nodded.

                “Yes, I had no idea who she was I just saw a child, unfortunately even at thirteen I was a natural mother, I learned to do the opposite of my mother. I calmed her down and comforted her. Daniel caught up to us and managed to calm her horse. We led her back to the estate so that she could get a change of clothes and wait for escort to catch up. We of course sent out a messenger right away.  It took them two hours, but in that time, Snow got really attached to me, you’ve seen it.” Emma grimaced.

                “God so she’s been like that since she was nine around you?” Regina nodded.

                “Yep, then we found out it was the King coming, so Mother rushed me off to change. By the time we were ready to greet the King in proper clothing, he had spoken to Snow. I don’t know what she said but she certainly praised me to high heaven, as much as Leopold doted on his little Snow in public and gave her what she wanted. She was also starving for love and attention. Her father was still King so there was never enough attention and her mother’s death which was still fresh for the entire Kingdom. Anyway, he proposed not even five minutes into the greeting.”

                “WHAT THE FUCK!” Emma yelled. Regina was sure if she had been driving, she would have slammed on the breaks and pulled over. “Pull over at the rest stop please.” Regina signaled and drove into the rest stop near the water somewhere close to Elisworth, Maine. Regina had decided on the scenic route. Emma got out of the car and sat down hard on the bench. Regina decided to enjoy the air too while they were stopped. She sat down next to Emma and just watched the water down below.

                 “All right, I just my brain is getting ahead of me, but I don’t wanna assume anything. So, I want to hear the rest of this when I can look you in the face. You can continue,” Emma said taking a deep breath and turning towards Regina who gave her a sad look that told her this tale wasn’t going to get better.

                “Your grandfather was already sixty when he proposed to me, I froze in fear at that moment not of him. I didn’t know him, but in those days, you didn’t say no to the King, and I desperately wanted too. And I was gathering up my courage too, and I knew mother would kill me, but I never wanted to be Queen not like that, not the one my mother wanted me to be. I just wanted a simple life rich or poor with the woman I loved ideally or Daniel in this case as I had settled. I was fearful of other women in that capacity at this point. But Daniel could give me babies, so that was a huge plus, and I just wanted my life with my horses and my babies. Mother accepted for me before I could ruin anything.”

                “And he just accepted that without even truly getting an answer from you?” Emma asked horrified. Regina nodded.

                “Parents decided everything for the daughter, he was not offering Snow’s hand to a decent young prince but making a lowly foreign Princess a Queen. I should have been the most grateful bride around.”

                “Foreign, so what were they even doing out of the country?”

                “More like Mother moved us to the outer edges of their country, I come from the Southern Enchanted Forest, where there is sun and beaches, unfortunately the curse chose a similar climate to the White Kingdom. Another thing that back fired at me from the curse.” Regina made a face.

                “Damn, and why did she move you?”

                “I assume now that maybe Queen Eva’s death was a little too convenient and that was her doing, but no one could ever prove it not even me. Like everyone else you can imagine I also mourned that woman because if she had been alive maybe just maybe I could have gotten away from mother.”

                “Maybe,” Emma said.  She let out a breath. “Okay so you haven’t said why you hate my mother, why she hated you at some point.”

                “Well I obviously was depressed, I cried for my father to do something, anything, but he didn’t know how to help me. I was trapped.  I decided to convince Daniel to run away with me if we got married and he consummated the marriage I would be ruined for the King. I wasn’t ready for that, but I was desperate and Daniel was fifteen, more than old enough to take a wife if he has a job, no one would have blinked an eye back then.”

                “Fifteen really I had hoped he was eighteen, so I knew you had a chance of being taken care of.”

                “It was different back then, Daniel had been working for my family since he was seven years old Emma, and because lodging and food were provided, he had a good amount of money saved up. We could have bought our own farm and cottage and raised horses. It’s not as if I didn’t have some coin saved up as well or that I couldn’t take from my parents as seed money. Contrary to what my mother said and did we wouldn’t have been too poor. Everything is different there you grow up faster, there are no teenagers.  Even though sixteen is considered marriageable age a King can take a younger bride if he likes because it is so important to secure a wife to have heirs. Snow could have died that day and the King realized his kingdom would have been in deep crap.”

                “So, a thirteen-year-old girl, barely into puberty was the answer.”

                “Unfortunately, but I had plans to run away, I talked Daniel into it, he proposed then to me, and Snow for some reason thought a late-night ride would be great, because I told her the only way to stop being afraid of being on the horse was to get back in the saddle.  She caught us kissing and she was horrified and ran away. I chased after her, begged her not to tell pleaded with her and explained to her it was true love. Daniel and I weren’t true love, but the way her eyes lit up when I explained that it was the most powerful magic of all made me think she wouldn’t want to get in the way of that. She promised me she wouldn’t tell even though she was sad I wouldn’t be her mother. And I just felt relief and I wish we had just left that night, but there was a party the next night I knew everyone would be drunk and not miss me and it would take longer for the King and my mother gather men to search for me. If I retired at the right moment, we’d have a twelve-hour head start back towards my grandfather’s kingdom.”

                “You never made it she caught you.”

                “Unbeknownst to me, your mother told my mother, I know my mother she’s usually manipulative, but Snow doesn’t know anything about bad mothers. So, I’m sure my mother didn’t need to employ any of her usual tactics on Snow, she didn’t want to scare her and when mother is manipulating you, you know it and there is nothing but fear in your heart. I’ve seen the look of horror that crosses innocent children’s faces. Snow was never scared of my mother just completely oblivious to it all. So despite me saying she cannot tell my mother especially, she told her about Daniel. Daniel who had been slipping under the radar for so long, my best friend, my only friend. I didn’t see that my mother wasn’t drinking as usual or I would have aborted the mission. Daniel already knew that if he didn’t see me coming down from the house that the mission was aborted until we could regroup.”

                “Ah okay just tell me what she did to you, and I assume Daniel is not in Storybrooke,”

                “No, he’s not. I made it out we were about to saddle the horses when mother showed up. I tried to stand up to her insist that we were leaving, be the strong woman she wanted. She saw that as defiance, so I begged and pleaded with her and she just saw that as weakness. So many times, she told me love is weakness and Daniel tried to stand up to her before I could stop him. I honestly was just going to tell him to run and not come back for his own safety. But he was foolish like you just jumping into things and he got his heart taken out because of it. I tried to get her to give it back, I told her he would leave, I told her that I didn’t love him, and I wasn’t weak.  But she crushed his heart anyway and it broke me to watch him die. He died because he loved me, and I hated myself for not loving him as much as he loved me. And I hated my mother for doing this to him he was innocent, and I hated Snow for not keeping her promise.”

                “Fuck,” Emma said.

                “I want you to understand that this all started with the promise as far as your mother is concerned, at the time I didn’t find out until I was being fitted for my wedding dress and she came in thinking Daniel would think I was gorgeous. Stupid girl thought they would stay for the wedding if I truly were going to be with Daniel. A king would never stay after such a slight. I never told her what her broken promise had done, just lied to her about Daniel leaving because back then my heart was still good and still couldn’t destroy her innocence even if what was left of mine had been shredded. She was still just a child after all.  I tried to run away on my own, but mother put a border spell on me, she trapped me in the Kingdom, I could go nowhere without the King and he knew it too I found out, asked for it even because young brides are flighty and promiscuous when they have older husbands.”  Emma fumed as she bit her lip.

                “So, my mother ended up being the easy target for your anger?” Emma asked not understanding. “And I know you killed the King and I still don’t know what happened to your mother.”

                “Rumple helped me spell a mirror on my wedding day. I pushed her through the first time I had used my anger back against my mother and she wasn’t expecting it so there was nothing she could do to stop it. I thought when she is gone my father can be my father and tell the King that the wedding is off.”

                “Please don’t tell me he killed your father,” Emma said. Regina shook her head, that burden would always be on her.

                “No, once mother was gone and I told Rumple I had no more need for his dark magic, even though he had already propositioned me to be his apprentice, I told my father what I did. He was a little fearful that she would return, but he took me to the King. We told him I didn’t want this, that we would return his dowry and he could have our estate as extra after we packed up and we would return to our own lands. He laughed said we were as good as married already since I already was forced to wear the engagement ring. I threw it at him and said I didn’t believe in that. He said I would marry him, or he would conquer my father’s lands after he had him beheaded in public for trying to have sex with me. He knew that would ruin my father and have him cast out of the royal family in death. So, he put a guard on my father, he seized our estate anyway, it became a shell of it’s former self, once teaming with life it was as dead as Daniel. And he reminded me of the border spell. So, I married him with a knife to my father’s throat if I didn’t say I do, and he locked me in my room until he was ready for me.”

                “When you say ready, you mean sex.” Regina nodded.

                “And that is as far as I go on that story right now just know that yes I had your grandfather murdered. Yes, a lot of blame lies with my mother, and Snow’s promise was one of those pivotal moments in a fairy tale before everything goes incredibly right or incredibly wrong. In this land that promise was insignificant. But in the Enchanted Forest you should never make promises you can’t keep.  We have a saying; A promise not kept is a fate decided. My father taught me to keep my promise as a monarch even if you never rule, because once you promise something and you break it you’ve now decided the fate of that unlucky person. Usually in the worse way because if you keep that promise as a monarch you are usually helping them in some way but to break it is to rescind that help.”

                “I understand, she decided the actions of Cora that night. Had she kept it, your mother would have celebrated her victory and you would have gotten away.” Regina nodded.

                “Or at least tried. If I were caught fleeing then so be it, but Daniel would have gotten away, I was prepared to claim him simply as a loyal servant and preserve his life. But his life was forfeit as soon as my mother knew I loved him in any capacity. For his fate I will always hold some type of anger towards her, it will always be about his death, his happiness that never was and less about my fate with her father. He has paid for that and my mother has paid for that after I sent an assassin to kill her once and for all, I didn’t want her following me here.”  Emma let out a long breath. 

                “I’m so sorry for Daniel, he truly didn’t deserve his fate, and I’m sorry for my grandfather.”

                “Neither of those were your fault but do know I am sorry for what happened in your life as a result of my curse. I just want you to know that even in my curse none of the children lived a life like that. Maybe I mixed some families around but during the curse there was no child being abused or neglected.”

                “Well Nick and Ava were homeless,” Emma pointed out.

                “Yes, but they successfully stole food and had a good shelter and did attend school during the curse. Their father was a drunk in the Enchanted Forest who let their stepmother convince him they were burdens. Trust me they were better off in the Enchanted Forest living in that witch’s house after they killed her. And yes, I have been keeping an eye on them since they went back to him here, and so far, he’s been a model father as far as I can tell without using magic.”

                “I had no idea.” Regina nodded.

                “You weren’t supposed to dear. Now if that’s enough emotional talk I believe we have a first date to get too.” Emma gave her a small smile, but honestly her head was swimming with the fact her grandfather had probably raped Regina at thirteen and threatened her father when she had finally found the courage to say no to him.

                “How can you even look at me?” Emma asked. “What if I remind you of him?”

                “You remind me of David, you take more after him,” Regina said. “And thankfully Snow takes more after her mother in looks.”

                “What a relief, I would hate to think that I was his spitting image,” Emma said as they walked to the car.

                “Emma, when you told Snow I deserved more than to just be married before you even got to know me, I knew then for sure that you would always be your own person, and never be your grandfather. You treat me like your Queen and not the Queen and that will forever make a world of difference in my mind.”

                “That’s because you are my Queen.” They smiled at one another and held hands back to the car, once inside Regina turned on Imagine Dragons and they commenced a car concert. Regina made sure to take pictures of them. They snap chatted Henry who snapped them back from his campsite. 

                “He’s so cute in his little hat,” Regina said as Emma put the phone down.

                “He is, I made a really cute kid.” They chuckled. They passed the next four hours listening to various music, except for one or two genres they found they had similar tastes. Regina surprised Emma by letting her drive the Benes, but she realized it was only so Regina could read and fall asleep. Grinning that Regina was sleeping she punched in a new address in Boston. She was going to just tell Regina when to stop but this was better. 

                “Hey baby wake up,” Emma whispered gently. Regina yawned and covered her mouth.

                “How long did you let me sleep are we in New York already?” Regina asked. Emma couldn’t help but give her the biggest smile she was just so adorable when she woke up. One day she was going to kiss her for being so adorable.

                “No, we’re in Boston, I thought you might like a pit stop and some lunch.”

                “Oh, I packed lunch for us, but a bathroom break would be nice.” Regina told her. Emma nodded.

                “Thank you for lunch, but first, we’re not passing through Boston without having a pastrami sandwich and some Boston Crème pie, it’s sacrilegious. Now come on you’re going to love it.” Regina smiled at her and nodded eager to try something new.

                “Okay I will have the pastrami, bread toasted, mayo, yellow mustard, and coleslaw with a side of fries,” Emma told him.

                “I will also have the pastrami, but with spicy brown mustard, mayo, tomato, pickles extra, roasted hot peppers extra, portobello mushroom, lettuce, and extra meat all on toasted sourdough.”

                “No fries?” Emma asked. Regina shook her head and the waiter walked away.

                “No, the sandwiches look big I want to savor this,” Regina told her. “Plus, I’ll just steal yours.” Emma gasped.

                “Oh no you are a food stealer.” Regina chuckled.

                “Well at least I will eat your pickles, I expect you to always give me your pickles.” They laughed. Emma talked about her time in Boston while they held hands across the table, apparently this was the best place in town to get a pastrami sandwich though there was a small deli that did it justice when you couldn’t afford here. She talked about all the fun stuff there was to do in Boston and how she’d like to take her and Henry to do some of it someday.

                “Is that why you didn’t choose this as our final destination so you could take Henry too?” Regina asked. Emma nodded.

                “It’s kind of a silly dream I had once, I imagined taking him to all these places you know, it’s what people did with their kids, I always saw so many happy families, and if I take either of you without the other now even if we weren’t dating, it wouldn’t feel right.” Regina smiled. “But there is one place though that is just for you after we eat our lunch and dessert.” Regina’s eyes lit up at the prospect of her first surprise of the trip aside from their destination.

                “Oh, I’m so excited now how can I possibly eat,” Regina pouted.

                “Oh, Madam Mayor you will eat if you want your surprise.” Regina chuckled.

                “Very well Ms. Swan.” Soon their sandwiches came out and they took a photo for Henry of them and their sandwiches. Emma was going to ask Regina how she thought it tasted, but she had her eyes closed already savoring her third bite. There was no more talking and Regina true to her word did steal a few fries but not too much.

                “I should have just worn my extra fat clothes,” She grumped as she sat back content. Emma chuckled.

                “I’m sorry, I should have made you wear at least that,” Emma told her as she paid the bill.

                “It’s okay, it will take you time to learn when Henry and I need our fat clothes or extra fat clothes. For the record he will love this and need his extra fat clothes too.” Soon they went out and found the best Boston crème pie and shared it as they walked around the block really to minimize exploring on purpose for the moment.

                “How come in Storybrooke I only ever see you eating super healthy and small portions?” Emma asked.

                “Oh, I’m out of control in private so I have to behave where I can,” Regina said eating some more pie.  She swallowed. “I mean you saw me back there with that sandwich I destroyed it.” She let out a breath of longing as if she wished she were still savoring every bite. “If I were like that all the time, it wouldn’t be good for my health.”

                “But I’ve had dinner twice at your house it was still a small portion.”

                “Oh, that’s because on those days I hadn’t really worked out as much as I would have liked especially in the last year. I couldn’t trust that Henry wouldn’t run away or whatever while I was on my run. So, when my activity level went down so did my food intake. My body couldn’t handle the same number of calories. But now that I can trust him again, I feel comfortable working out, and I can eat more.” Emma nodded as she finished the last bite. They threw away their trash and headed back to the car.

                “All right now onto my surprise?” Regina asked excited as she bounced next to Emma. Emma laughed.

                “Yes, yes onto your surprise babe.” Regina grinned and Emma made her close her eyes as she drove, and then led her to the door of some building. As soon as the door opened Regina knew they were about to be surrounded by chocolate.

                “Okay open.”

                “It’s a chocolate factory,” She whispered. Emma could have taken her to the moon she realized, and it wouldn’t have compared to the pure happiness on Regina’s face in that moment.

                “Not quite willy Wonka, but I thought this would do,” Emma said. “Get whatever you want babe.” Regina turned and kissed her not being able to hold back. Regina pulled back after a moment of enjoying the sparks flying and someone clearing their throat to get by as they blocked the door. They both blushed and moved to the side. 

                “I am sorry I shouldn’t have done that without your consent,” Regina apologized.

                “You’re forgiven if you do it again, and that was very much wanted, that was mind blowing,” Emma said her voice raspy, so she had to clear it.

                “Later when people won’t interrupt us,” Regina told her giving her a big smile. Regina pulled her to the counter where they had a tour and she watched the beans become her favorite treat. Emma was sure she was thinking of building a Storybrooke factory and she so wouldn’t put it past Regina to achieve such a feat. Afterwards she found her way to the Mexican chili chocolate, chocolate coffee, and a dark chocolate bar, far less than Emma thought she would buy.

                “Are you sure you don’t want more?” Emma asked. Regina nodded.

                “I just assumed we would stop on the way back for sandwiches, pie, and chocolate I’ll stock up then.”  Emma nodded and bought the items before they left out hand in hand. Regina ate the dark chocolate on the way back to the car occasionally giving Emma a piece and she just looked so happy. Regina was so simple to please, she was sure nothing else was going to top the chocolate factory.  Regina was by far the easiest woman she had encountered all she had to do was show up and feed her either chocolate or good food. She was bad at making her own food, but she knew where to go and that was a good contrast with Regina who didn’t know where to go but could apparently make anything in the kitchen. In that they were alike too, Emma was happiest when Regina was feeding her. It made her laugh.

                “What’s so funny?” Regina asked.

                “I just realized how simple we were that we’re happiest when people are feeding us. And I just thought why did, no one think to feed you as the Evil Queen and saved themselves all a world of trouble?” They both laughed.

                “Funny, but thankfully not, I’m pretty sure the happy to be fed scenario wouldn’t have worked out, but a tragic story of how Snow poisoned me with her horrifying cooking, and she didn’t even use real poison just made it with her bare hands.” They both laughed hard because Snow’s cooking was indeed terrifying. They got back in the car and Emma drove the rest of the way to New York without stopping. They managed to get into the city by nine and Emma took Regina to the four seasons hotel.

                “Very nice Ms. Swan.” Regina turned to the Valet. “I expect my car back in the same condition in which we left it.” She tipped him.

                “Yes ma’am,” He said. He took the keys from Emma as a bellboy took their two small suit cases and a third case that was half the size of Regina’s suitcase. She could only assume it was her make up. They went inside and Emma checked in or she tried.

                “I’m sorry, but you are on our watchlist ma’am,” He told her.

                “What why?” Emma asked.

                “We keep a list of petty thieves and criminals, you stayed in expensive hotels before under a fake name and didn’t pay your bills. You were put on a list and of course your name popped up as a warning when we read your card.”

                “This is bullshit, that could have been I don’t know how long ago, and I did my time already, I’m paying for the room in advance under my real name.” He shrugged and passed her back her card.

                “Is there a problem darling?” Regina asked walking over. She had been checking out an advertisement for a Broadway show.

                “We have to find another place, they won’t accept my card, apparently I’m on some watch list because I may have stayed in some rooms at other hotels under a false name as a teen.”

                “Wow brave telling your girlfriend that you’re still a bum,” He said.

                “Fuck you,” Emma said. “I’m not a bum.”

                “She’s not a bum, she’s my town’s Sheriff and you will show her some respect, she’s earned it. Haven’t you ever done anything stupid as a teenager?” Regina asked him. He gulped as she pulled out her credit card, a black one, his eyes went wide.

                “Have our room prepared now,” Regina told him. He nodded.

                “Yes, ma’am should I upgrade you, you are currently in a room facing the alley and it’s one of our cheap rooms.

                “Book whatever my girlfriend asked for,” Regina told him. He nodded. Emma beamed at her for being defended for her past although frowned.

                “I didn’t book that kind of room and you know it, stop trying to embarrass me,” Emma lied. Regina looked at the man furious. Of course, Regina insisted on a manager and of course she chewed him out about his employee. They were given a serious upgrade for less money than Emma had been planning on paying. They went to their rooms and Emma tipped the bellboy before they were alone.

                “Good job lying back there, the only thing better than a nice room at a fancy hotel is getting a deal on an expensive room at a fancy hotel.”

                “Right,” Emma said as they high fived.  “Free room service and Wi-Fi too.” They chuckled and looked around they had a spacious living room area and tv, one door led to the bedroom and the other to bathroom with a jacuzzi tub that fit two.

                “Are you okay sleeping next to me, I didn’t get one room to make assumptions when I booked, I just couldn’t afford two rooms.”

                “If you can even still sleep next to me after I punched you,” Regina reminded her. Emma chuckled and rubbed her nose.

                “Still floored by your strength,” Emma laughed. Regina laughed too a little.

                “I’m still very sorry and I never got to give you that kiss to show you that.” She pulled Emma close to her and they both eagerly moved their heads closer and kissed one another slowly as they savored every moment, they only let up for air when Henry’s ring tone blared from Regina’s purse. She looked at the clock it was past his normal bedtime he was probably worried. She hurried to her phone and answered it.

                “Mom are you okay?” Henry asked concerned. David was behind him also concerned. Regina never missed a call.

                “Is Emma okay?” David asked.

                “We’re fine, we’re both fine, we just got into our hotel room,” Regina told them. Emma appeared and waved to her son and David, they both looked relieved.

                “Where did you go, you were late calling, we thought you got into a car accident,” Henry said upset.

                “I’m sorry we worried you darling, Emma took me to New York, and she got us an awesome room.” Regina flipped the camera so he could see the room and he exclaimed at the view from their balcony.

                “Whoa Emma, so cool you’re taking mom on the best date weekend away,” Henry grinned.

                “Thanks kid I do my best, but really Regina gets kudos for the room, we had some trouble, and because no one messes with your mom not only did we get this sweet room, we paid less than I was supposed to initially.”

                “Mom gets the best deals out of people,” Henry told her. “Nice Mom, did you make them cry?”

                “I did,” Regina grinned. “It was almost theft with what I got our bill down too with free Wi-Fi and room service.” Henry laughed.

                “What do you mean almost, I think it could be classified as stealing,” Emma laughed.

                “Emma, Queens don’t steal so it’s almost a theft.” Regina and Henry laughed.

                “I see you actually do have your mother’s sense of humor,” Emma laughed. They talked some more and wished him a good night before they hung up.

                “All right the night is still young for New York what did you have in mind?” Regina asked.

                “Lesbian bar,” Emma grinned. “I’m in the mood to dance with you.” Regina smiled and nodded. She stood up and unzipped her dress and Emma’s eyes went wide until she realized that Regina was wearing a white crop top that said Sass infused in black letters. She folded her dress in such a way that it looked like a black and white checkered skirt that she put back on over her leggings.  She also opened her bag and took out some hoop earrings, touched up her makeup and added a gold chain that wrapped around her waist twice that really drew attention to her navel.

                “Okay I’m ready, let’s do this,” Regina said. Emma just stared at her.

                “I have so much to learn from you right now,” Emma said. “You just got a whole second outfit in less than two minutes.” Regina grinned.

                “Of course, dear, I decided to wear something I could work with all weekend.”

                “Wait where are you going to put your identification, you can’t carry that big purse around all day. Regina pulled out a mini purse from her larger one that was matching, it carried her cell, credit card, driver’s license, and some cash.

                “Do you want me to carry your stuff too?” Regina asked. Emma shook her head.

                “No, unlike you my outfit can’t just change itself,” Emma laughed. Regina chuckled as she also tucked their room key away. They left and took a cab to a famous lesbian bar that was so full the line was wrapping around the corner.

                “Aww I had no idea it was this popular we will be waiting all night,” Emma grimaced but Regina was already bypassing the line. Emma followed her wondering what she had intended. Regina just kept her head up and kept walking, the bouncer took one look at her and stepped out of the way. She stopped Emma though.

                “Hey,” Emma said.

                “Get in line shrimp,” She said.

                “Excuse you, she’s with me to make sure all my interactions are consensual, if something happens, I will have to report that you deliberately separated me from my companion, you wouldn’t want me to go home unsafely tonight, would you?” Regina asked. The bouncer moved out of the way and let Emma in. They entered the pulsing club full of beautiful women of all types.

                 “Ugh who let the straight bridesmaids in?” Emma asked as they made their way to the bar as they cheered.

                “Whoo girls are hot when you’re drunk,” Regina replied over the music. Once at the bar they each did a line of rainbow shots at Regina’s insistence.

                “To a fun night Ms. Swan,” Regina grinned. Emma grinned as they clicked their shot glasses together and started drinking. Shots were followed by strong cocktails before Regina disappeared to her fear.

                “Oh, shit the kid will never forgive me if I lose his mom,” Emma murmured. She was making her way into the crowd as fifth harmony’s ‘Don’t wanna dance alone’ began to play. Then she spotted her.

                “There’s gotta be a million faces up in this room, but the only one who gets my attention is you,” they sang as the beat dropped. Regina was dancing on a platform in front of the DJ booth, and was only staring at Emma. She had the attention of several girls. “So, baby come and get me cause I don’t wanna dance alone.”  She jumped down and pulled Emma to her. Several girls groaned as they watched Regina grinding on Emma. Emma gulped as she moved her hips along with Regina’s.

                “If you come in close than I won’t say no. Baby all I want is you,” They sang.  As they danced together Emma realized that Regina was singing along to the song. Even as the song ended, they kept dancing and to her glee Regina’s apparent favorite song played again every few songs.

                “I paid the DJ,” She chuckled. Emma chuckled.

                “You know just where to apply your money don’t you,” Emma laughed as they swayed to the song.

                “I just want you know whose attention I want even with all these pretty girls around,” Regina shrugged.

                “How could I even forget,” Emma told her. Someone came around with tubes with unknown alcohol in them. They had several shots of it. Emma’s head was swimming as was Regina’s by the time they stumbled out of the club at five in the morning starving and drunk. They walked around and Regina stumbled into a tattoo parlor.

                “Ooh Emma, I wanna tattoo,” Regina told her pulling her in. Emma laughed.

                “Regina you can’t get a tattoo drunk what would you even get,” Emma argued, but it was halfhearted in her inebriation  

                “That would be a surprise,” Regina grinned. “You sit and I’ll be right back.”  Emma was too drunk to stop her as she soon heard the buzz of the tattoo gun on Regina’s skin. The room was blurry she doubted she would be able to remember this place when she sobered up. She got annoyed though when the buzzing seemed to go on forever and got louder in her ears. She begged Regina to leave already so they could go eat. It was all she wanted now after a long night of drinking and dancing she was starving. Eventually her head was swirling as they looked at a menu, she had managed to navigate them to Ellen’s Stardust diner. The fries were incredibly greasy, but it was just what they needed. Emma was sure they ate other stuff like she remembered halal street food truck too, but honestly, she wasn’t sure when they finally fell into bed around seven in the morning.

                “Fuck Henry,” Regina groaned as she reached out for her phone on the night stand, she was still drunk that was clear to her. The food was slowly soaking up all the alcohol, but not fast enough. She answered the phone and realized too late it was video call.

                “Morning mom!” He exclaimed his little voice full of excitement and loud so damn loud she realized.

                “Morning my darling,” Regina replied. Emma groaned from the other side of the bed. She was obviously protesting being woken up. Regina grudgingly slipped out of bed as she adjusted her bra strap. “How are you this morning my little prince did you sleep well?”

                “Very well still can’t wait until you come camping mom, grandpa and I got up early and caught some fish, he wants to give it to grandma to cook, but I insisted that you should have the honor of cooking my first catch.”

                “I’ll be honored Henry,” Regina told him smiling. He gave her a huge smile back.

                “Where’s Emma?” Henry asked. “I want to know what she has planned for today before you drive back.” Regina shrugged.

                “I honestly have no clue; we went out to a gay bar last night and we just got home. I don’t know if that was planned to come home this early in the morning. Whatever plans she had the time lines have certainly changed.”

                “You stayed up all night!” Henry cried. “How are you even awake right now, how did you even manage it. I can’t even stay up until midnight on New Year’s!” Regina cringed and chuckled.

                “I’m just an adult that’s all, one day you’ll stay up until midnight too,” Regina told him.

                “But Mom…”

                “I took a nap in the car that always helps,” Regina said smiling at his innocence. She really loved Henry more than words could say.

                “That must have been it,” He said.

                “I’ll have Emma call you as soon as she wakes up all right, but I do really need to get my own sleep right now.” He nodded.

                “Okay mom, I love you, tell Emma I love her too.”

                “I love you too my prince,” Regina said before they hung up. Since she was up Regina wiped the remnants of her make up off, thankfully she did not look like a crazed hooker. She put her phone on the charger and crawled back into bed. Emma immediately burrowed into her form.

                “Thanks for not forcing me up to talk to the kid, I’m pretty sure I would have scared him,” Emma said. Regina chuckled.

                 “No problem, get some sleep.” Regina closed her own eyes and soon they were both sleeping. It was midafternoon when either of them finally got up glaring at the sunlight.

                “Got any Enchanted Forest Hangover cures?” Emma grunted as she forced them both to drink the entire contents of two bottle of waters that had been provided.

                “Greasiest food we can find for lunch for sure,” Regina told her.  “Or we keep drinking.”

                “I like both ideas can we combine the two?” Emma laughed.

                “Certainly, you still owe me Korean BQQ,” Regina reminded. “It’s not greasy exactly, but I am starving, and it is perfect.”

                “Fair enough, I’ll see if we can still get a table, but also you know if we keep drinking there is no way we will make it home tonight.”

                “Ugh honestly counting on it to avoid Snow’s chicken.”  Emma laughed loudly and hard and then they both cringed.

                “I had forgotten about that but what about the kid?” Emma asked.

                “You’re right Snow will destroy his stomach; I could have him go over to Kathryn’s she has a key to the house and knows what he needs for school and won’t make him sick.”

                “So then if I told you that I actually planned on us staying here the entire week you wouldn’t be opposed to it.”

                “The entire week!” Regina exclaimed. “What about work?”

                “Dad is covering for me, and Carol has the Mayor’s office covered, she was more than eager to take care of things for you.”

                “Emma, I bought one outfit, I can’t spend a week in the clothes I just stayed out all night in!”

                “You bought a technical two, and don’t worry, I thought maybe you wouldn’t like to miss a chance to shop in New York.” Regina bit her lip.

                “Emma if you let me go there you understand that I will basically clear out my closet and redo the entire thing?”

                “Fortunately, there is plenty of room in your car,” Emma pointed out. “Since our suitcases are so small. Plus, if we leave now, we’d have to cut our time at Korean BBQ short, and you won’t get to see what chocolate wonders I found in New York.”

                “Stop you had me shopping and sold me at chocolate,” Regina told her. “But Henry is going to Kathryn’s for the week, your parents can have him on the weekend. Snow barely goes to work as it is anymore, if she weren’t herself, they would fire her already. She tends to allow Henry to skip as well and his grades dropped living in their home and his stomach pained him constantly whenever she cooked.” Emma cringed.

                “No wonder he ran back home so fast, no one need endure a stomachache so often.” Regina nodded as she called Kathryn who was ecstatic to help. Kathryn should probably be one of the people angry with her for marrying her in the curse to David, but he had been in a coma most of that time and in that time, she had free reign with Frederick, aside from the last few days of the curse it was as if David had never existed. And she was happy with her man, so she didn’t hold a grudge and they had immediately worked on their friendship even when others were trying to kill Regina.  

                “Did you call your parents; she’s heading over to pick him up right now?” Regina asked. Emma was frowning at the phone. She hit mute.

                “Snow’s angry that they aren’t allowed to keep Henry for the week,” Emma told her. Regina held out her hand and Emma gave it to her. She unmuted the phone.

                “Snow darling,” Regina said so sweet it was giving Emma cavities.

                “Mother,” Snow said as if she was so happy, and Emma could bet she was crying at the sweetness dripping from Regina’s voice.

                “Darling you have work and the uh…banquet you are working on; you need to focus on it. Leave Henry to Kathryn, she’s taken him for a week so she’s more than prepared to have him over. Perhaps you can do it next time when you are more prepared.”

                “Yes of course Mother, I should have known you were only thinking about my wellbeing.” Regina was making gagging faces, that had Emma stifling her laughter in the background.

                “Exactly dear, now we’ll see you next week,” Regina said hanging up and handing Emma back her phone. “Now excuse me while I wash my mouth out with soap.”  Since they now had more time they showered and dressed again Regina returning to her dress, before they called Henry who was still in the truck with David, they let him know what was happening.

                “But if you’re back next weekend that means I have to push our Korean BBQ back a weekend,” Henry pouted.

                “What if I make you one of our super special apple pies that not even Emma can touch with ice cream and whipped cream.”

                “YES!” he screamed.

                “What do you mean, I can’t touch it?” Emma asked pouting through a cringe.

                “It means it’s only for me Emma, her little prince, none for you,” Henry told her.  Emma pouted more.

                “I don’t even know how you could eat one of her apple pies kid you remember what happened with the turnover.” Regina glared at Emma that was a low blow.

                “But Emma that was always meant for you, if I were you, I wouldn’t hitting below the belt just to try Mom’s apple pie. You’re the one in danger not me.” Regina laughed wickedly.

                “Nice come back Henry, I’m going to put in extra cinnamon just for you.” Henry grinned.

                “Stop encouraging his sass damn it, one of you is enough.” Regina snorted.

                “Be grateful he’s not a girl, I would have turned that sass level up by one hundred by now.” They all laughed before Henry hung up as they pulled back up to the loft. They went out where Regina bought them both a fresh pair of clothes, they changed and put their old clothes in the bag and returned it to the hotel.

                “Oh, shit hang on, my shoe is untied,” Emma said catching the elevator door before it closed on her shoe string. She pulled her foot back and then bent over as Regina pulled her hair back horrified, she was still somehow standing so close she almost got her blond hair caught. Once the doors were closed, she moved back and took the opportunity to admire Emma’s ass, she noticed that her shirt was riding up and black ink was peeking through the area between her shirt and pants.

                “Uh Emma I think you have a tattoo,” Regina said as she stood up having been taking a little longer to tie her shoe because her ass did look good in these jeans. Emma turned to look at her backside but just ended up turning in a circle.

                “Oh my God Ms. Swan really?” Regina asked. She pulled out her phone and turned Emma around and lifted her shirt. She gasped and Emma frowned thinking it was terrible. She heard Regina snap a photo. “I just want to say right now that I am terribly sorry.”

                “What, why?” Emma asked as Regina handed her the phone as her face went red with embarrassment. Emma took the phone and read the words in beautifully done script that read The Queen’s.  She had gotten a tramp stamp and labeled herself as The Queen’s property.

                “That is my handwriting so I can only assume I talked you into that or if I forced you into something while drunk, I am so incredibly sorry Emma, and there is no excuse for my behavior. If you want to end this trip now and never speak to me again about anything not involving Henry I will completely understand.” Regina was looking down.

                “Regina it’s fine, I was super drunk too, if you had gotten a tattoo, I wouldn’t have been in any position to stop you, I might have even cheered you on because you’re so responsible all the time normally. You’re like a bad girl that hasn’t lived at times.”

                “You still want me, but I clearly had a hand in that tattoo,” Regina said.

                “Regina it could be worse it could the Queen’s bitch, thankfully not and honestly tattoos can be removed, albeit for a price, but as I have come to realize I have a really rich girlfriend who’d take care of it.”

                “Definitely,” Regina agreed nodding her head as they reached the tenth floor. Someone started to get on. “No, this elevator is closed wait for the next one.” She pushed them back out to their shock and made the doors closed. Emma laughed.

                “Oh, wait maybe you got a tattoo too, you’re assuming again you were the bad one, but I’m not a saint. Maybe you got a tattoo too,” Emma pointed out.

                “Ms. Swan no matter how drunk I get I would never get a tattoo, that is just simply unbecoming of….” She paused when she heard Emma snap a picture with her phone.

                “Looks like sometimes Queens are bad girls after all,” Emma said handing her the phone. Regina gasped and stuttered as she looked at again her own script handwriting that was now inked onto her skin that said Papi.

                “Oh fuck.” Emma got a laugh.

                “Looks like I’m your Daddy, Regi,” Emma told her as they reached the bottom floor. Because she could only imagine that if Regina got a tattoo that said Papi when her own said The Queen’s, it had to be in reference to her.

“Papi,” Regina corrected in a whisper unable to help herself. They got off without another word, Regina obviously refusing to talk about this in public and clearly self-conscious her new tattoo would be seen.  By the time they got to the Korean BBQ place it was time for dinner. Emma pulled out Regina’s chair and slid her in. Regina checked to make sure that she saw actual Asian people Korean or not eating at the place once she confirmed that, she knew it was going to be good.

“So how does this work?” Emma asked opening a menu. Regina explained about the grill and which small sides they should order.

                “Now for the meat, do not order chicken or cheap meat like that, it’s a waste of money and time. You want beef short ribs, brisket, and pork.”

                “Rice?” Emma asked as a steaming bowl of rice passed them by.

                “No, that will fill you up and you don’t spend your money well, lettuce wraps, or in my case kimchi wraps oh this place is going to rock.” Emma nodded listening to Regina. She was right ordering chicken and rice were all things designed to not let you see a return on your investment for the prices in this place. She let Regina do all the ordering though. As the grill heated up, he brought over a bottle of a rice wine that they took like shots and her hangover finally started to edge away for now.

                “So, we could have a beer here, but no liquor or we can just keep at this wine and then get the hard stuff later, depending on your plans for tonight.

                “Nope tonight is normal we can have a beer. I thought tonight is our dinner date and perhaps a movie at the theater in time square, also a chance for you to see it tonight.” Regina smiled and nodded. They ordered beers and soon Regina had their marinated beef short rib on the grill as well as some vegetables that were apparently actually not for eating just yet, but Regina placing pieces of meat on so as not to overcook them. 

                “How did you find out about Korean BBQ?” Emma asked.

                “Food network, I forgot but I could still leave, not that I wanted too often. There was a place in Maine that was wonderful. I started recreating some recipes at home, but still nothing beats actually being in the place.”

                “Oh my God, Brisket, is delicious. Like I’m curious to try the chicken, but like only at the end so I know that I definitely made returns on my investment to begin with.” Regina chuckled. Once they were good and stuffed and Emma did try the chicken. She was disappointed after everything else, so they had to share one last portion of beef short ribs to end on a high note.

                “Oh, I’ve got a food baby and it is Beef short ribs and rice wine,” Regina laughed rubbing her stomach. Emma laughed as well as she tentatively took Regina’s hand who smiled at her. They walked to time square, enjoying the night, and working off their food. Regina tried to get out of her what they were doing the rest of the week.

                “Emma come on the deal was for a first date weekend but come tomorrow I feel like I should know what’s planned.”

                “Weekend, I was sure you just said week,” Emma said with a shrug. “Oh well you just have to wait to see, you agreed.” Emma gently wrapped an arm around her waist and led her into time square. Regina’s eyes lit up at the brilliance of it.

                “Emma look the Disney store is still open.” They popped in and Regina couldn’t help herself giving her Evil Queen counterpart of this world a squeeze because it was plushy. She looked at other Disney stuff curiously as she talked about watching it all with Henry as a child. When she was ready to leave, and they had stepped outside Emma gave her the Evil Queen plushy hoping she wouldn’t think it was childish to have bought it for her. Regina however just smiled happily and gave it another squeeze before they continued walking around and watching a street performer before they went into the movie theater. They picked a random movie shared a popcorn and some chocolate before they spent the rest of the movie making out in the back of the theater like two teenagers. They didn’t let up until the credits finished rolling and the lights came on.

                “I have something fun to show you.” Regina followed Emma to the High Line, in winter they closed at seven pm which meant Emma was being a little delinquent by making her climb the fence with her so they could climb the stairs to the High line which was a garden built on railroad tracks. It offered amazing views, privacy, and intimacy. They walked the entire length twice as Emma talked about how New York was home to one of her better foster homes, and how she had spent some time here on the streets and as a bounty hunter before she settled in New York. When they climbed back Regina dropped her plushy and Emma being all heroic climbed back over and retrieved it with a grin. Afterwards they grabbed one-dollar slices of the greasiest pizza they could fine before they cuddled and went to bed.


	6. Chapter Six

Chapter Six

 

                “Thank you for the best first date slash week away,” Regina told Emma on their last night. They were on a dinner cruise tonight viewing the city. All week Emma had been full of surprises with going to the Empire State building at night after it was shut down because she knew a guy. Yankee Stadium to take in a game, because it had to be done and of course Coney Island where Regina downed several hot dogs and got on every single ride they were allowed on as adults. They went to the statue of liberty and Ellis Island. Regina insisted on the Metropolitan Museum where all the Met galas were held. But Emma was floored by her knowledge of art and loved watching her learn about more. They even made it to the Imagine Dragons Concert and live streamed with Henry during the entire thing. They had allowed him to stay up late that Friday for it. And of course, a stop at Mast Brothers Chocolate in Brooklyn where Emma was sure she bought the whole store for Regina, who still had plans to stop at Taza in Boston again. But she didn’t know where it would fit when Regina had also bought out all the expensive stores.  

                “You’re welcome, I’m just glad that I could make it a good one.”

                 “You did even better, you made it special,” Regina told her from behind her as she rested her chin on Emma’s shoulder. After their dinner cruise they went back to the hotel and enjoyed the jacuzzi with champagne in their underwear.

                “I’m going to get the last bottle,” Regina said as she stood up. Emma looked at her body naturally taking a moment to notice that she could see Regina’s ass and that tattoo, and she could just imagine Regina calling her Papi as she fucked her until she screamed her name. She swallowed hard and realized just how thirsty she was and not for champagne and for the first time she noticed white lines on Regina’s skin near her abdomen.

                “You were pregnant once,” Emma blurted out without thinking. Regina paused in getting back in the Jacuzzi as her hand automatically went to cover the areas. She often hid them with makeup because she just could not stand to look at them. She had been having such a good time with Emma she hadn’t considered that the makeup would rub off in the water. So many parts of her had wanted to get rid of them with magic and other parts of her couldn’t do that to her child’s memory. The sound of her daughter’s soft cries filled the room in her head as tears formed in her eyes and spilled down the cheeks. This was why she didn’t dwell here; the memory was far too painful.

                “Regi, hey I’m so sorry,” Emma said as she took the bottle away and pulled Regina the rest of the way into Jacuzzi until she was tucked in her lap with her arms wrapped around her. She hadn’t meant to ruin the night, she had simply blurted out a revelation without thinking of the consequences, something Regina often accused her of. Regina cried for a long time before she was able to rein in her emotions and Emma just held her through it all.  While she rubbed her back and kissed her cheek, Emma couldn’t help but wonder what a little version of Regina might look like playing alongside Henry.

                “I’m sorry,” Regina sniffed once she could stop.

                “Don’t be sorry I am sorry; I have my own demons too that I wouldn’t be surprised if you had to hold me through the worst of it.” Regina gave her a small smile as she leaned against her more.

                “Thank you for holding me.”

                “No problem, I will always hold you even if it’s in the middle of the day and you need me to run over from the Sheriff’s station.”

                “Not a chance, I need to make sure you get all that paperwork done.” Emma chuckled.

                “It’s always back to paperwork with you, are you having an affair with it?” Emma joked trying to make Regina outright laugh and she succeeded to her delight.

                “Maybe,” Regina said wrapping her arms around Emma.

                “Do you want to talk about it?” Emma asked.

                “No,” Regina answered. Emma nodded respecting her wishes, but she was damned curious.

                “I got pregnant again after Henry,” Emma told her.

                “What?” Regina replied. Emma knew it wasn’t from lack of understanding what she said, but shock and that Emma was potentially hitting below the belt. She couldn’t help herself she wanted to know everything about this woman in her lap the good and the bad and give comfort where no one had before. Just as Regina had soothed her nightmares two nights in a row without blinking an eye. Emma had expected she would be like anyone else who had witnessed her nightmares angry at having been woken up. But Regina had healed something in her, she didn’t know needed healing.

                “I was pregnant after Henry,” Emma said. Regina’s mouth dropped open slightly.

                “When, where is it now, we have to find him or her,” Regina told her getting up. Emma pulled her back down.

                “It was another boy, and I got an abortion, I didn’t give him up for adoption.” Regina sat stunned.

                “How were you even able to go through with that?” Regina asked. She couldn’t personally fathom getting an abortion, but that was her and because of her experiences already with pregnancy.

                “With Henry I didn’t have a choice the state refused to give me an abortion while I was in their care. I don’t regret that seeing as Henry got you, and then I got you both in the end. Normally I was much more responsible about who I slept with, but that night I was particularly hurt and angry over life and struggling to get my life together to do better.”

                 “So, you fell pregnant.” Emma nodded.

                “I freaked out, I wasn’t on the street, but I was still very close, I lost my current job because of the morning sickness and they didn’t hesitate to sack me because of my record. I knew I wouldn’t even get half of the same care I got in prison which thankfully gave me a healthy Henry. So, I did the only thing I could, I got an abortion and asked to know the sex if, at all possible. It hurt but I have always felt like I did the right thing there.” Regina hugged her and kissed her.

                “I’m sorry that the circumstances weren’t better that you could have kept him, truly,” Regina told her.

                “You don’t think I’m a baby killer, that’s what Snow called me when Henry found an old ultrasound that I kept just to remember him you know. They thought it was recent, so I had to tell them it was old, and I had an abortion. You truly raised that kid right. You would have been proud of him for protecting my right to choose.” Regina smiled as those words warmed her heart.

                “I’m glad he defended you against her, despite your mother, abortion wasn’t uncommon in the Enchanted Forest for poorer women especially at some point you have to cap the number of children if you want the others to survive and the contraception was just not on par with the contraception in this world. The King once accused me of having an abortion so now Snow thinks this is some great evil.”

                “Did you?” Emma asked curiously hoping to get to the stretchmarks.

                “No, his seed was useless, it was honestly a miracle he had Snow, but back then there was no concept of male infertility only female.” Emma shook her head.

                “Of course, there wasn’t, because why oh why would there be anything wrong with men,” Emma grumbled. “Did he accuse you of that because you miscarried the baby that gave you the stretchmarks?” Regina let out a breath.

                “Why do you have to ask, I told you to drop the questions about why I adopted Henry and this,” Regina said. “I told you it was an off-limits topic.”

                “You said it was too early for me to have all your secrets back then, it’s later we’ve gotten closer than I thought possible in a week, if I wasn’t so happy and it didn’t feel so right, I would think we were moving too fast. And yet I don’t. What I do think is that I want to know every hurt you have Regina so I can kiss every single one and offer you the comfort you so very much deserve. I want to know what causes you pain so that I can be there for you when it all bubbles to the surface and just take some of the pain away.”

                “Thank you,” Regina said, and she gave Emma a kiss. “But I still will not talk about it.” Emma nodded accepting her answer.

                “All right then, let’s forget all this sadness we were having a good day and there’s still this bottle of expensive champagne, and what’s better then enjoying an expensive bottle of champagne?”  Regina thought for a minute.

                “Free expensive champagne,” Regina grinned. Emma grinned back.

                “Exactly,” Emma said. She opened the bottle and soon was filling their glasses.  She changed the subject to art techniques in the Enchanted Forest versus This world and as she suspected Regina just went on what she called her nerd rant and she just listened to it all, because how could anyone mistreat a woman who was as smart as she was beautiful? 

                “Huh sorry what?” Emma asked having zoned out thinking of how smart she was.

                “I said we need to do something about our tattoos, I can’t chance that someone will see me with the name Papi above my ass or at least just that. I would have to explain myself, and you would have to explain yourself in the same token.

                “So, what do you suggest, we can’t just get it removed tomorrow,” Emma said.

                “I’m not opposed to keeping it, I just think it needs to be modified so there aren’t a ton of questions.”

                “Ooookay, in what way would people not ask questions about a tramp stamp?”

                “More like less questions than Ruby asking if I really call you Papi especially when you eat...”

                “Oh, all right okay, okay you’re right, and she would do that in a diner full of people,” Emma conceded. Regina nodded. “What do you have in mind?” Regina got out of the jacuzzi again and soon came back with a paper.

                “I drew it at the park yesterday when you were napping, since we obviously got corresponding tattoos, I thought we could keep that theme, a crown with designs that appear to be a swan.”

                “So, it’s a Swan Queen design,” Emma laughed.

                 “Yeah, I guess, anyway on mine it would surround the word Papi and incorporate the script into fire. Yours would be in the middle, but still incorporate the script into the fire. So, it will be virtually unrecognizable, only we would know. They’ll think we got matching tattoos in our inebriation, but not scandalous tramp stamps, plus the flames will look cool.”

                “All right let’s go now then, I want my tramp stamp to look cool.” Regina grinned and they did manage to find this twenty-four-hour tattoo parlor they had stumbled into. Regina paid extra to get the same tattoo artist back since they obviously copied her script to the letter. To their surprise and joy it was a female artist who was more than eager to do more to the design.

                “I thought for sure you’d two have it removed but you also seem pretty in love,” She chatted as she prepared her station.

                “Um…is it policy to let drunk people get tattoos?”  Regina asked.

                “Not really, but you were so insistent, I was a little afraid to say no, and then your little Papi came in looking all cute and demanding to have her Queen’s name tattooed on her as well.

                “So how did I end up with it saying The Queen’s and not Regina?” Emma asked although she had a stupid little grin on her face at being called Regina’s Papi. 

                “Ah well after much discussion I helped you both conclude that you getting her name was the kiss of death on an obviously new and happy relationship. Eventually the Queen’s was decided so that when you stood next to each other it would read the Queen’s Papi.

                “And then everyone would know that Emma is my Papi as you say,” Regina said as she looked so embarrassed. “But just to be clear was I forcing this on her in anyway?”

                “What no, you both made your own decisions, you came in first to scare me, and then she came in pouting just as you were done. In fact, you tried to talk her out of it and if I remember before, I saw you, she tried to talk you out of it.”

                “See we’re both innocent here,” Emma grinned.

                “We are definitely not Innocent Ms. Swan,” Regina told her from her place on the table already.

                “Are you ready for this, it might be a shock, you were pretty drunk, and usually people don’t notice as much under the influence. I will do a tester line and if you can’t take it, I have make up for covering.” Regina nodded and took a deep breath. She gave a little jump before the artist pulled back to ask if it was okay or not.

                “It just startled me, but I can take it,” Regina declared. Emma watched Regina take it all with a face of steel except for the one time she coaxed a smile out of her for a picture. Once the Papi was covered in the design she took some video telling Henry how much of a trooper his mother was because no way he wouldn’t spot the tattoo on either one of them first.

                “Oh, Regina when that heals it is going to be so amazing,” Emma told her as she was looking in the mirror. She knew where the Papi was, but it was impossible to see it and make it out if you didn’t know.

                “You’ll have to keep an eye on the color and get it touched up, unfortunately color fades, but given the area, you should be fine most of the time.” Regina nodded as they watched her clean and prepare her tools for Emma. Emma was less enthusiastic, but she at least knew what it already felt like. She managed one watery smile for a photo and the little video Regina did for Henry but otherwise she held Regina’s hand until it was all over.             Then she took a photo of them side by side for her portfolio crediting Regina as the actual design creator.  Although she modified the end slightly so that with Emma on the left and Regina on the right it looked as if the ends would fit perfectly together. They paid her and left as they headed back to the hotel.

                “Are you sure you won’t regret this one day?” Emma asked Regina who was looking extremely happy.

                “Yes, because what I will remember is getting to know probably the third person in my entire life who was genuinely my friend and having such a good time with her, I was calling her by girlfriend by day two. This week has really been so special Emma truly.” Emma gave her a huge smile.

                “What do you say we hit up Korean BBQ one more time, all that pain gave me an appetite.”

                “Do you even need an answer?” Regina asked with a laugh.

                “Nope,” Emma said pulling Regina to a place to hail a cab as she laughed as well.

 

 

 

 

 

                “What?” Regina asked. They were enjoying their pastrami sandwich for lunch at the same place they had stopped. Regina had already decided to raid taza chocolate first as it would take her the longest to decide her favorites and what was worth buying.

                “Nothing, you’re just so cute that’s all,” Emma said. “Before you object you are cute, smart, beautiful, and a little bit Evil but I like that too.”

                “Not sexy though?” Regina asked.

                “Oh, you are most definitely smoking hot,” A guy said approaching their table.  They both looked at each other and sighed as they rolled their eyes.

                “Can we help you with something?” Emma asked him as Regina delicately wiped her mouth after she had put down her sandwich.

                “You can’t, but she can,” He said turning to her.  “How about you give me your number doll face.”

                “No thank you, and you are currently interrupting my date with my girlfriend so if you could please go that would be great.” Emma just watched them, this was not at all the first time Regina had been hit on by men and women alike. The women usually walked away after seeing she was taken though the amount of pouting that followed to lure her away from Emma, had been insane in her opinion. They were sad but very much respected them as a couple. Then there were the men, most of them walked away when Regina said no, but there was always just one, one asshole where Regina went from polite Queen to Evil Queen.  And this guy looked like he would be the second guy to get punched in the face from the vibe he was giving.

                “Girlfriend, so then you’re a free agent even better, if you like we can leave right now and go for a ride.” Regina let out a breath as Emma frowned.

                “Look Sir, she said no, walk away, you’re interrupting our date.”

                “Why don’t you walk away clearly she’s settling for a mutt like you until she finds a real man like me.”

                “I don’t appreciate you calling my girlfriend a mutt, she is a Princess, you however are not worth being the dirt on the bottom of my shoe. You have my answer it is still no, and if you don’t walk away now you won’t be walking anywhere later, you will be crawling home.” He scoffed hard.

                “You’re nothing but an old ass hag bitch, you’re lucky I even thought to hand you out a little charity instead of leaving you to play with a mutt.” He turned away smirking and left the establishment with some friends. Emma gulped as she saw the look Regina’s face. Regina carefully stood up and went to speak to a waiter, she saw her point to their table and hand over her credit card.  Then she walked out of the restaurant. Emma looked concerned and hurried out after her. She didn’t worry about dining and dashing seeing as Regina had left her card.

                “Uh Regin….” Emma paused as she caught Regina down the block kneeing the man in the family jewels while screaming that no meant no.  He groaned as he leaned forward only to be met with a solid kick to the face that knocked him out. Emma was staring open mouthed as people called that the man deserved that for harassing her. His friends were saying she attacked for no reason. She walked away thanking the few women that had stopped to tell her how brave she was.

                “Are you all right?” Emma asked as the crowd cleared. Regina nodded looking more upset then she probably was. As they got away Regina’s body language relaxed.

                “I’m fine Emma, I did that on purpose so people wouldn’t call the cops,” Regina said.

                “You mean you….” Emma trailed off as she envisioned Regina kicking that guy’s ass. “What exactly was I protecting you from in Storybrooke when you could have taken them down?” Regina shrugged.

                “It was never from what, but always for, for Henry, for me, for yourself dare I say,” Regina corrected.

                “God woman the time it took you to come up with that flawless plan and execute it is just one of the hottest and scariest things you’ve ever done,” Emma said. The waiter met them at the door, their lunch had been packed up and there were five extra sandwiches in there. He handed her back her card and receipt and she handed him an extremely generous tip. He gawked at her and thanked her. They headed for the car.

                “Emma you all right?” Regina asked. Emma was furrowing her lip and had her fists clenched for a moment as she sat in the driver’s seat. Regina wanted to read her book that she hadn’t got too during the week, so she was being trusted to drive again for now.

                “No, I’m not I just spent all week in perfect control of myself and now I watch you get all badass on some asshole and I just wanna fuck your brains out here and now,” Emma told her honestly. “Please don’t take that the wrong way.”

                “What wrong way?” Regina asked. “How exactly should I take it then for what you mean, you’re thirsty as fuck right now, and you’d like it if I gave you some water so to speak.”

                “Parched actually,” Emma laughed as she reached for the keys in the ignition, but Regina put a hand on her hand to stop her. Emma nervously looked at Regina, who was looking very serious as she glanced around. They were in a parking garage a little bit away from the place they had eaten as everything had been full of so many people out and about. They had some relative privacy, but not a lot but enough Regina reasoned to peak her adventurous side. “Are you actually considering here and now for our first time?”

                “Is that not what you want?” Regina asked clearly concerned she had overread the situation. She didn’t want to push Emma when the thought was more fantasy then reality.

                “Woman if I could get a boner right now, it would be more than ready for you, but I don’t want your first time in I don’t even know how long to be in the back of your Mercedes in a parking garage. You deserve better than I ever got from my partners. You’re a Queen, Regina.” Regina had to smile at her.

                “And you’re a princess, semantics, and doing it in the car because you literally have no place else to go and doing it in a car because you’re extremely horny and adventurous are two different things. I mean this can never happen in Storybrooke without us driving all the way out to the woods and deep in the woods mind you. And even than we run the risk of Ruby running into us on one of her runs.”

                “We run the risk of someone showing up here too,” Emma pointed out.

                “That’s whatever, I don’t know these people and they don’t know me, I won’t be the talk of Boston over it.”

                “You make a solid point there, and we could always cross the town line to fuck in the car, no one would see us over the line.”

                “No dear, you got it backwards, they could see us, but we won’t see them.”

                “Oooh,” Emma said blushing. “All right well strike that fantasy from my mind, when Snow’s dislike of you was actually there before I thought she didn’t know. I thought about talking you into fucking just over the line where she couldn’t see while she cried.” Regina laughed.

                “Awww you do get me,” Regina said stroking her cheek.

                “Look as much as I want too, I really don’t want to rush because we’re in public, I get the thrill believe me, but let’s save it for another time. The first time I would like to take my time and not worry about driving schedules or commitments. I just want to worry about you.” Regina nodded with a smile, no one had been so focused on her own pleasure since Maleficent, they only cared for their own.

                “Well if you plan on taking care of me, then I will plan on taking care of you just as nicely and roughly if you like.”

                “Don’t Evil grin,” Emma groaned. “That coupled with Ms. Swan, I’m almost sure whatever random magic is hanging around will give me a real boner just so I can show my arousal better.” Regina laughed.

                “There’s no such thing as magic just hanging around to wreak random havoc. Either someone set up a particular spell or you made a wish and the Moth in all her infinite wisdom saw fit to grant it. But we’ve established she could go choke on a penis and die.”

                “I’m not even going to scold you anymore, she dropped the ball, sometimes I think of the what ifs, not that I would change anything now because of the family I am finding in both you and Henry. It’s worth all that time without it to have everything now I couldn’t give it up. But what if she had just saved you from your mother, the King, and Rumple.”

                “It is a lot, but Emma, I wouldn’t give up Henry for anything in the world. The day I first held him in my arms, it was pure magic and I knew that, true love really was the strongest magic of all.” Emma smiled so big at that and then started crying but they weren’t exactly happy tears Regina noted, they didn’t seem to be in direct relation to her words. “What now?”

                “It’s just like the sweetest thing ever, and it’s only made me want to take you right here and now and ravish you for loving my son in the way I wanted for him, prayed for him, because I would hate myself if I ever found out he went through anything I did in the system.”

                “Never, from the bits you’ve told me, I would never and if I ever find those people, I will find a way to destroy them. They don’t deserve children,” Regina replied.

                “Thank you for wanting to go all Evil Queen on their asses, I know they wouldn’t survive.” Regina nodded. A text interrupted them and from the ring tone of Henry’s toddler voice saying I’m mommy’s little prince, they knew it was him. Regina looked at it automatically, as she just did not ignore her child.

                “Henry wants to know if we’re nearly there yet, he really misses us,” Regina read. Emma groaned and started the car.

                “And here I might have just given in,” Emma laughed.

                “I can tell him we have a flat,” Regina said biting her lip. 

                “No, no he’s only reminded me that you are a Queen and I will not take the Queen in her ride for the first time, but any time after that is total fair game.” Regina laughed.

                “Guess we’ll just have to have more weekends away from Storybrooke then,” Regina said.

                “I would actually not mine that, it’s an entirely different world in there, and taking you out has just reminded me that there’s so much more to see and do and we have the ability.” Regina nodded.

                “Then let’s get home to our son, shall we?” Regina asked.  Emma nodded. Soon she was on the highway again with Regina singing along to her favorite Spanish songs while she fed Emma the rest of her abandoned sandwich from earlier. Eventually she ate her own and settled into reading and Emma was allowed free rein to listen to the things Regina didn’t prefer. They stayed like that until they were about halfway when Emma got sleepy, and they switched. Regina handed her Henry’s car blanket and almost as soon as Regina was driving off, she was knocked out. Emma hardly even noticed when they were crossing the town line, but Regina did. Nausea came both ways magic entering or exiting was unpleasant. She drove to the loft first, it was already quite late, but she didn’t want to wake up Emma as she retrieved her exhausted son who at least had already eaten at a reasonable hour.

                “Snow, they’re both exhausted, we will have dinner with you tomorrow,” Regina told her firmly even though Snow argued she could still pop the chicken in the oven.  She shouldered Henry’s bag and lifted him up with practiced ease though she was exhausted.

                “Are you going to magic Emma to her bed?” David asked.

                “No, she’ll stay with us, I’m sure Henry will want to see her first thing.”  He nodded. He’d already slipped down and saw that Emma was sleeping comfortably when Snow was pleading with Regina. “Goodnight.”

                 “Goodnight,” They replied. Regina walked down the steps easily loving the feeling of Henry’s gentle breath against her neck and the way he put his arms around her just as he did as a toddler. She easily got him in the car and strapped in. Just like his blond mother, he didn’t stir at all.  She smiled at them both how they were so similar and took a picture of them both, before she headed home. She parked next to the bug and with a snap of her fingers her bags were lining her closet including Emma’s.  Emma, she magicked to her bed, but Henry she carried upstairs needing to feel his weight because these moments were getting less and less now. She got him out of his jacket and shoes no problem before she tucked him into her bed. She managed to change Emma too without waking her which made her laugh a little inside.

                “Tanks Regi…” She murmured in her sleep as she rolled over and hugged a pillow.  Regina changed herself before crawling in between her little family just content with the warm bodies on either side of her as she tucked the blanket around them and wrapped her arms around Henry who automatically burrowed into her just as he always did.  Regina thought she might combust because she had never been this happy before. Life was perfect.


	7. Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven

 

                “SHIT!” Emma yelled. Henry and Regina were just setting breakfast on the table and chuckling as they heard Emma rushing around upstairs. They heard the shower go on in the guest bathroom, and then shut off not even two minutes later.

                “Regina I’m stealing a shirt!” Emma yelled.

                “You didn’t give back the last one!” Regina called back as they laughed at Emma.

                “You said I could keep it!”

                “I did no such thing,” Regina told Henry as he dug into his pancakes. She drank her coffee as Emma came thundering down the stairs and to the door as she tugged on her boots.

                “Emma, come sit down and have breakfast,” Regina said. “You’re not late.”

                “How can you say that, I was supposed to start at seven, David is probably so exhausted.”

                “Emma sit down,” Regina ordered as she was going on and on what a crap Sheriff she was. Emma paused and did as Regina said. Regina piled her plate high with eggs, pancakes, and sausage. “Eat.”

                “But David…” Emma started but a snap of her fingers and Emma’s fork and scooped up eggs and shoved it into her mouth.

                “Now as I was saying you’re not late, Ruby went in for David so you could sleep till eight and have a proper breakfast this morning with your son.” Henry gave her a big smile. She smiled at him back as she chewed her eggs.

                “So that’s why you didn’t wake me?” Emma asked.

                “Well I was on my way up, I thought you’d be happy to have breakfast as soon as you were awake since we skipped dinner.”

                “You thought right my stomach would have protested later,” Emma said.

                “I know, now did you sleep well?” Regina asked.

                “Like a baby,” Emma said. “When did we get home, I don’t even remember going to bed.”

                “Oh, like around twelve in the evening, Snow wanted me to wake you up for that awful chicken, it’s been soaking all weekend so it’s probably gone bad.” Emma made a face.

                “Ugh thank you for bringing me home with you, much appreciated.”

                “Yes, well it was for the best, she wanted to wake up Henry make him have a second dinner of her crap and you. I had to tell her we’d come over tonight, but I am conveniently working super later already I can tell,” Regina said. Emma chuckled.

                “You have no idea how good Carol has been with the work load though,” Emma pointed out.

                “Of course, I do, Carol has never been less efficient,” Regina told her. Emma and Henry snorted as they silently called bullshit, but they understood what Regina was doing.

                “When do we go on our weekend?” Henry asked them.

                “Good question, why don’t we decide tonight after dinner, I really want you to see Boston where I used to live, I’m sure they have a great Korean BBQ place there too.”

                “Oooh that reminds me I got you a pastrami sandwich for your lunch today, you’re going to love it.”

                “Extra pickles?” Henry asked excited.

                “Baby come on you know the answer to that is always extra pickles,” Regina told him. He smiled.

                “I almost can’t wait for lunch, how was the drive back?” Henry asked.

                “Long, but good,” Emma replied digging into her food without prompting now. She noted Regina herself was skipping the pancakes preferring to eat eggs with spinach and her sausage alongside a cup of coffee. That’s when Emma noticed her eggs had mushrooms and spinach. “Wait why don’t you have mushrooms?”

                “I’m allergic,” Regina said.

                “That’s not true, she just hates them,” Henry loud whispered across the table. Regina glared at him.

                “Hmph telling things now, maybe I’m allergic to pie too,” Regina said.

                “I’m the liar Emma,” Henry said making them laugh.

                “I’m only kidding love, you were very well behaved and earned your pie.” Henry looked so relieved to hear this.

                “Oh, good I thought I might die,” Henry replied.

                “Anyway, I thought we could talk about it after dinner, your mom and I need a rest before we leave Storybrooke again, plus give Carol or David some time off first.” Henry nodded as they all finished up their breakfast.

                “Come on, I’ll drive you to school today, I’m pretty sure even with Carol’s efficiency I will be working late from home,” Regina sighed. Henry nodded as he headed upstairs to brush his teeth. Emma helped Regina clear the breakfast and put it in the dishwasher, while Regina packed their pastrami sandwiches.

                “This one is for you,” Regina said. “I thought we could get you an adult lunch box later, but right now I think Henry’s old Ninja turtles should be sufficient.”

                “Oh, Cool Ninja Turtles, I always really wanted one as a kid,” Emma said.

                “In that case I think it will work out just fine,” Regina told her.

                “You’re the best babe,” Emma said taking her thermos of coffee as well. She kissed Regina’s cheek and Henry’s in the foyer on her way out. Regina smiled at them as she grabbed her things before both her and Henry left the house. She dropped him off at school before heading into the office, where Carol was already preparing for the day.

                “Morning Madam Mayor, I trust you had a wonderful week away.”

                “I did Carol it was absolutely spectacular, thank you so much for taking over. Now how about you get me up to speed and then take some time off?”

                 “I dare not while you have so many meetings,” Carol told her. “After we’ve settled them, then I will go.” Regina nodded. Carol told her how she had hounded David for the police reports on time, she had completed most of the paperwork, but it needed Regina’s signature, and what was left was simply meetings and decisions that should have been taken care of last week but weren’t. Carol had sent plenty of people packing including the Blue Fairy who was looking for funds to update her convent.

                “I videotaped that one,” Carol told her. They took ten minutes to laugh at Blue fuming when she found out she was out of the town with Emma. Regina’s hand was cramping by lunch, not that she got to enjoy her sandwich as she had meetings, but as it was getting close to Henry’s school day being finished. She rescheduled the afternoon for Tuesday, which she expected to be in meetings all day to catch up.

                “Look I understand your concerns, your part of a group of people that want to stay in this world and not go back should Snow and David find a way. Only time will tell if the block for you leaving Storybrooke will stay there. And personally, I don’t care to go back either, so Storybrooke will stay here.” They nodded.

                “Good knowing the Evil Queen would rather not live in Squalor that was the Enchanted Forest is actually rather comforting,” He said. Carol and Regina glared but he didn’t see as he stood up and put on his jacket. They shook hands before he left.

                “All right, so two piles this tray here, put anything I need to sign, I will do that tonight, and this tray here, put anything I should work on for tomorrow.” Regina ran her hands over it and it glowed purple.

                “That will allow me to work from home, and please Carol take the rest the day and tomorrow at least off.” Carol nodded.

                “Would rather have the Thursday, Friday off, there’s a ball,” Carol told her.

                 “Of course, take the entire week,” Regina told her. Carol smiled at her before she got her things together and left after putting a few things in the tray herself that she wanted to take care of. She went to pick Henry up.

                “Mom can I stay and play soccer with the other kids?” Henry asked running up to the car.

                “Sure honey, come home after, I don’t wanna be forced to eat dinner with Snow.”  Henry laughed and nodded as he put his backpack in the car already. He gave her a kiss before running off to play with some other kids. That made her smile, before he had always gotten in the car sulking that he had no friends, but now that he wasn’t pushing them away because they didn’t grow, they were letting him in again. She went home and changed clothes into booty shorts that she worked out in and a sports bra. She got a workout in as well as cleaned her house.

                “Henry is that you!” Regina called out over her music when she heard the front door. She was in her closet going through it and packing away things to donate. She was on her hands and knees reaching for a pair of shoes in the way back she had forgotten about.

                “Holy shit,” Emma said gulping as her mouth immediately filled with water.

                “Jesus Emma!” Regina exclaimed jumping. “Why didn’t you reply when I asked if it was Henry?” 

                “I wanted to surprise you, but I’m the one with the surprise,” Emma said her mouth suddenly going dry as she thought back to Regina’s ass in booty shorts.  Regina rolled her eyes.

                “Don’t tell me you can’t control yourself around a little tiny booty short,” Regina chuckled as she bent over again, but it really didn’t seem to be a reason for her too. Well Emma knew there was one reason and she was it. She swallowed hard.

                “Oh, you are a temptress,” Emma said. “Mom wanted me to come over and ask you what time you’d be over for dinner since you drove off too fast and then didn’t answer your phone this afternoon.”

                “Can’t that woman take a hint?” Regina asked with a huff as she placed some shoes into a box.

                “Jesus woman how much clothing do you have?” Emma asked.

                “A lot, I’m donating them to this charity that gives professional clothes to working women or women just out of jail etc….”

                “That’s very generous of you,” Emma said. “Can I help?”

                “Yeah, I’ve taken out everything that no longer sparks joy. If you could move all these boxes to the garage that would be wonderful.” Emma nodded. She did as Regina asked realizing too late that a side door let her into the garage. She shrugged and went back upstairs to where Regina was separating out all the clothes she bought. She easily recognized the Henry pile on the bed, neatly folded, but there were two piles on the floor, one mostly compiled of jeans.

                “Wow you really are making a change, you got so many jeans for yourself, did you even own a pair of jeans before now?” Regina looked up confused.

                “Those are your jeans, what are you talking about?” Regina asked her. Emma’s eyes went wide.

                “What do you mean my jeans I didn’t buy anything!” Emma exclaimed.

                “Why did you think I had you modeling all those clothes?” Regina asked her. “And asked you if you would wear it?”

                “So, you’d always look nice for me, not to say that you don’t always look nice, but I just thought you wanted my opinion. And to look at my ass in jeans.” Regina rolled her eyes.

                “While I did look at your ass in every single one of those jeans, they were all for you dear,” Regina told her. “You can take them home after I get them all washed, but this pile of shirts here, you always bring them to me to clean, I don’t want them going in the washer, they need to be dry cleaned.”

                “I can dry clean my clothes, and I can wash them too, you don’t have to add to your work, and I’ll pay you back.”

                “Get all your reports in on time is enough for payback,” Regina told her.

                 “Regina, I’m serious,” Emma said. She picked up a shirt intending to look for the tags. “Where are the tags so I know how much I owe you.” Regina shrugged her shoulders delicately.

                “I couldn’t say Ms. Swan, maybe they’re currently being thrown out in New York, maybe I made them disappear with my magic, no one can really say,” Regina told her as she stood up from her pile and bent down to pick up yet another bag. She heard Emma suck her breath in hard.

                “So evil!” Emma cried as Regina just laughed, evilly, she might add.

                “And I know you are capable of dry cleaning your own items; it would be cheaper for you if you just added them to my monthly dry-cleaning bill. I take suits in weekly, and just pay at the first of the month.”

                “Great, how much will I owe you?” Emma asked. Regina waved her off.

                “I don’t know yet, let’s just decide when I know how many stains you get on these shirts,” Regina replied. Emma blushed.

                 “Fair enough,” Emma murmured. “So, what next?”

                “You can place this pile of dresses in those black bags over there,” Regina said as she put Emma’s pile of dry-cleaned shirts into a square black bag alongside some other items. She added in Henry’s shirts as well. Emma took it all down to Regina’s car just as Henry was strolling up to the house all red faced and cheery.

                “Hi Emma,” Henry greeted. He gave her a big hug before she locked the car and they went back inside. As soon as they were inside, he smelled the polish Regina had gone over the hardwood floors with.

                “Awww I have to clean today,” Henry grumbled as Regina was bringing laundry down the stairs.

                “You don’t have to clean anything but your room, mister and I need you to give me a pile of clothes you either can’t fit or no longer want to wear, suits included. I went shopping in New York and well Emma left me unsupervised.” Emma bawked at her.

                “I can’t believe you just blamed me for your lack of restraint,” Emma laughed as did Henry. Regina chuckled as well as she headed for the laundry room. “Maybe you should put some clothes on now that the kid is home.”

                “Why, he’s seen me in less?” Regina asked. 

                “Yeah Emma,” Henry said as he skipped upstairs to do as his mother asked. It was thirty minutes later when Henry had apparently emptied his closet of everything but his school uniforms. He had grown out of nearly everything when he had been in her care except his school uniforms which Regina had given him room to grow in.

                “Henry is that how we pack things for children less fortunate than us?” Regina asked him when he brought it all downstairs and stuffed in boxes.

                “That’s how we always got clothes,” Emma shrugged not seeing anything wrong.

                “Which is exactly why he should fold them neatly and with care,” Regina reminded Henry. Henry nodded and took it all out.

                “Oh, my fucking god, kid are those pink booty shorts?” Emma asked. Henry stood up halfway and looked behind him at Emma with a grin.

                “Yeah, you like them, right?” Henry asked. Regina burst out laughing, she was sure when she bought those shorts, they hadn’t been booty shorts on him.

                “Regina this isn’t funny, what if he wants to go out of the house like that,” Emma cried. Regina shrugged.

                “I go out of the house like this in the summer, besides there are no pedophiles in Storybrooke, I cursed them to die immediately.”

                “The hell you will, not anymore,” Emma cried. 

                “Emma I will be hot as it is during my work out, I don’t need to get heat stroke,” Regina told her.

                “You won’t, I’ll carry extra water,” Emma insisted. Regina waved her off and helped Henry as Emma’s cell rang.

                “Yeeah, Regina had to go back to work tonight, and the kid already ate apparently, maybe tomorrow mom.” Regina chuckled as she heard Snow crying over the phone. Emma looked distraught as Snow demanded she at least come home for dinner. “No Henry has some things to complete that Regina asked him to do in reorganizing his room before she’s back. I will come alone.”  Emma grudgingly left saying she wasn’t done talking to her family about their use of booty shorts. 

                “Pizza for dinner and send Emma pictures?” Regina asked. Henry grinned and nodded. They finished putting stuff away and placed it in the garage. They had pizza in their booty shorts making sure to get that in the picture along with their pizza.

                “Mom you got a tattoo!” Henry exclaimed after one picture. He touched it.

                “Ow, Henry be gentle it’s still quite tender,” Regina told him.

                “Sorry, it’s so cool, when did you get a tattoo, did Emma talk you into that too?” Henry asked.

                 “She didn’t talk me into it, I was never brave enough to get one before now even in the Enchanted Forest, so I finally got one,” Regina shrugged. “I drew it myself, Emma liked it so much she got the same.”

                “Cool is that why you put a swan design in the crown?” Regina nodded. “Cool can I get a tattoo too?”

                “No, darling, you are much too young for a tattoo, we’ll see when you are thirty.”

                “Thirty!” Henry cried. “Aww so much stuff can’t happen until I’m thirty.” Regina chuckled and kissed his cheek. They spent some time together before he had to go to bed and she really needed to get some work done. She went to bed late and got up early, for her morning workout, breakfast, dropping off Henry and their dry cleaning.  Then it was to work where she was in meetings all day, and all the work from that didn’t have her doing anything different for the rest of the week, except sending Henry to Emma by Wednesday.

                “Oh my God Snow fine, fine I will come to dinner today,” Regina said to the crying sobbing mess that was Snow White in front of her. How did she ever become her archenemy this was ridiculous?

                “Oh, thank you Mother.” To her annoyance Snow sat humming in her office without Carol to make her go since she’d given the woman the week off.

                “Should have got a temporary guard,” Regina grumbled. Regina finished up grateful that her willingness to put in the extra hours now meant less work next week and back to a normal schedule. If she hadn’t had so much fun, she might even swear off impromptu weeks away, but it was worth every headache she had this week.

                “Let’s go Snow,” Regina snapped as she grabbed her coat and put it on, and she left her office. Snow hurried after her. Regina paused to lock up and Snow was waiting by her car. She grimaced, she didn’t want to be stuck in a car with her. They drove over to the loft where Henry was jumping on the Charmings bed while David set the table.

                “Henry get down you know better and with your shoes on?” Regina scolded. He jumped down looking sheepish.

                “Sorry mom.”

                “David his shoes were all muddy,” Mary Margaret told him. David shrugged.

                “Boys will be boys, he’s just having a little fun,” David said. “We can wash the sheets.”

                “No boys will not be boys, they will be respectful of other people’s homes when they are guests in them, grandson or not,” Regina snapped at him, but she was glaring at Henry.

                “I’m sorry grandma, grandpa, I should have taken my shoes off at the door and not jumped on your bed with them on. Mom raised me better than that,” Henry apologized.

                “Apology accepted Henry,” Mary Margaret told him.

                “Oh Regina, you’re being too harsh, boys get dirty,” David argued.

                “Not my boy, not my prince, maybe shepherds do,” Regina told him crossing her arms. David frowned.

                “No fighting!” Snow cried. “I just got Mother here for dinner be nice.” David sighed.

                “Not right, mother to my wife, wife to my daughter, how can I ever win,” He grumbled. Regina chuckled.

                “You can’t Shepherd,” Regina said. “That being said where is that daughter of yours?”

                “Still at the station trying to finish the reports no doubt,” Snow said as she made Regina sit and brought over cheap wine in a normal glass. Regina rolled her eyes at it, but it would have to do for the night. Henry busied himself with stripping the bed and mopping the floor of mud under her watchful eye. Snow went on and on about stuff while Regina made noises that said she was listening while she checked some work emails and texted Kathryn who wanted to know if she had plans for Saturday yet.

                “Snow, David I’m heading to Regina’s for dinner with Henry, she’s going to kill me, I didn’t make it in time with the reports!” Emma was calling before she paused in shutting the door.

                “Hello darling,” Regina greeted.

                “Oh my God you are out for blood aren’t you, I’m sorry about the reports I swear,” Emma said gulping. One thing she had realized about Regina on their week away if she truly wanted you got; she was going to get you.

                “Actually, I forgot you hadn’t turned them in. Snow came in sobbing about me avoiding dinner with Carol not being on guard, and then she sat there until she was on my last nerve and I agreed to leave the office,” Regina told her.

                “So, I would have been on time if she hadn’t come,” Emma said trying to save herself. Regina snorted.

                “Not at all dear, we will talk about you bringing your paperwork late again another time,” Regina told her. Emma nodded.

                “Hi Ma,” Henry greeted as he picked up the laundry basket.

                “Hey kid, what are you doing with the laundry?” Emma asked him as she kissed Regina’s cheek tentatively and then Henry’s.

                “I was bad and jumped grandma and grandpa’s bed with my muddy shoes on and now I’m going to do the laundry.”

                “Henry put the basket down, I told you, you aren’t in trouble,” David reminded him.

                “David, yes he is, he knows better, I mean what the hell, were you jumping on my bed too?” Emma asked him. He shook his head.

                “No, we sleep there,” Henry said. Emma frowned at him.

                “And your grandparents sleep there,” Emma told him. “We are going to have a long talk mister about respect.”

                “Emma boys will be boys, leave him alone,” David said.

                “And I kindly reminded your deputy, Ms. Swan, that boys will not be boys especially when they are my little prince and not common shepherds.”

                “Henry forget the wash, dinner is already ready, I just want a nice family dinner okay,” Mary Margaret said. “Mother please come to the table, my need for this dinner to go well is bigger than my need for Henry to put those sheets in the wash.” The three adults backed down in their standoff and Henry put the basket by the door. They all sat down at the rickety table in Regina’s opinion and Snow had knitted ugly pillows with no cushion, she was thinking about how the girl had never picked up well on knitting and embroidery. It was a woman’s most basic skill in the Enchanted Forest.

                “So of course, dinner is the food menu from the apple cinnamon theme, do you still have the binder, I’d like to go over it with the boys,” Snow said. Regina and Emma looked at one another clearly remembering burning that thing on their last night in New York page by page.

                “We…uh…we…”

                “Took it to New York,” Regina finished for Emma who nodded.

                “And?” Snow asked sensing more.

                “We gave it to a wedding planner,” Emma said. Snow squealed saying she was so happy there will be a wedding. David looked grim at the idea and Henry wasn’t buying it his own internal lie detector going off.

                “She hated it,” Regina told Snow with a grin as she watched her face crumple. “She said that whomever had made these wedding plans had some of the worst taste she had ever seen. She said the binder should be burnt to a crisp and then the ashes of that should be burnt again. And that we should then shoot those ashes into the sun so that it would burn to nothing because the paper that the plans had been written on didn’t deserve to return to the earth and pollute our soil.” Snow was in absolute tears.

                “But you told her you had no need for her services that you loved my ideas?” Snow asked trying to look brave.

                “Hmm…Snow look let’s be clear I am not nor have I ever been your father, not everything you do gives me pleasure just so you will smile. You need to put some effort into the things you do. What will make me happy is if you show up to work and update your teaching plans so that the schoolboard will get off my back, because they’re afraid to fire the White Kingdom Princess. You have enough knowledge from the curse to make a decent teacher I suggest you start doing so. Now as for your wedding plans, they were absolute trash and there is no way you are going to get me, my son, or Emma to put your undercooked chicken in our mouths. None of us want salmonella. Now it’s been a lovely dinner, but I need to go home now. Henry you put the laundry on and meet me at the car, we’ll talk about your punishment later.” He nodded and hurried to do as his mother said. Regina stood up and gathered his stuff as Snow was crying into a glaring David’s arms.

                “Emma you liked the plans, at least didn’t you?” Snow cried. Emma went red in the face as she tried to figure out how to ask Regina if she was welcome to come along. If she were honest, she hadn’t even been thinking about her mother after Regina announced she was leaving. She hadn’t seen her girlfriend all week and she just wanted to spend time with her. Hell, she hadn’t even texted out of anxiety and then when Regina hadn’t texted at all just sent Henry to her with no message, she was even more anxious.

                “Um…no actually, I just it’s too early for me to be thinking about wedding plans right now, you know me I can’t commit to anything,” Emma said nervously as she was glancing at Regina who was giving another cursory glance for the items Henry brought between their homes, rather than the things that stayed here.

                “Oh um… Regina I have some of Henry’s regular clothes he can’t fit anymore to be donated,” Emma said. 

                “I will wait for you downstairs,” Regina said no longer wanting to be in the apartment anymore. She left out. She was texting Kathryn about the day’s events by the trunk when Emma finally came down with a small box of clothes, that she noted were folded. Emma, she saw was tense and nervous as she shuffled her feet clearly not sure if she should go back up or stay outside until Henry arrived.

                “What’s wrong dear?” Regina asked putting her phone away.

                “Wrong, why would anything be wrong?” Emma asked hands in her back pockets.

                 “Darling, you look like you don’t know what you should be doing right now,” Regina pointed out.

                “It’s just I hadn’t heard from you all week, this is the first I am seeing of you,” Emma murmured as she blushed. “I don’t want to be clingy.” When she looked up Regina was giving her a big smile. She pulled her close and kissed her softly and deeply until Ruby ran by and gave a wolf whistle.

                “Ugh I should have put manners in that pup,” Regina groaned as Emma chuckled.

                “But it wouldn’t be Ruby then,” Emma pointed out.

                “No, I suppose not,” Regina conceded. “Anyway, I am sorry I didn’t make it clear, but you are welcome over any time even if I don’t text during the day, this week has been absolutely hectic, I am constantly in meetings, and working late into the night, at some point I barely had energy for Henry. Brightside about you being in town I don’t have to do this alone and I can make you entertain him and love him and all the other things I want to do for him even though I really needed to sleep.”

                “Glad I could help,” Emma said unsure.

                “A major help truly, it meant the time I usually spent on him, was working time so I could go to bed a little sooner. And yes, I am upset you didn’t have your reports in on time. You do understand that when you bring them so late on Fridays that either I must come back to the office and stay late or work from home late every time, or if I put it off it’s more work on Monday or extra work Saturday morning. It takes away from your son.”

                “Oh, shit Regina I am sorry, I guess, I just assumed that like me you spent time waiting around for stuff to happen, and that you hounded me about paperwork to annoy me.”

                “No, annoying you is a solid bonus, but especially during the curse it really pissed me off when I’d have rather been spending time with Henry instead of wondering if he was running off to see you without permission. Or skipping school or whatever it was he was doing.” Emma nodded.

                “I am sorry I will try to be better about getting my reports in on time.” Regina nodded.

                “Thank you, now are you joining us for dinner, I’m making lasagna.” Emma nodded her head vigorously. “Are you sleeping over?” Emma’s eyes lit up.

                “I would like that more than anything, I slept so badly without you, did you sleep badly without me?” Regina smiled.

                “I did until I grabbed my Evil Queen plushy, and she was a nice substitute for you, maybe I need to get you an Evil Queen plushy?” Emma chuckled and kissed Regina in response.

                “Eww moms,” Henry groaned. “Are you gonna do that a lot now?”

                “Sure, am kid for as long as she lets me,” Emma grinned. “I’ll get my overnight bag.” Regina nodded as she closed her trunk. Emma practically skipped up the stairs before joining them in the car.

                “Was she still crying?” Regina asked as they drove. Emma nodded.

                “You know she was,” Emma replied. “I will never understand how that was your archnemesis.”

                “I thought about that too, and I realized we aren’t seeing my archnemesis, we are seeing Princess Snow White before all the upset.” 

                “This is what you dealt with day in and day out before you got mean?” Emma asked. Regina nodded.

                “She’s preferable when we hate each other honestly,” Regina sighed. “I did you a personality favor if not a life favor.”

                “I’m starting to agree, God knows how David would have been, if boys will be boys, then what about girls?” Emma asked.

                “Delicate little flowers obviously,” Regina scoffed.

                “Girls aren’t delicate flowers, today Tommy told Laura that girls weren’t tough, and she pulled out her tooth. A tooth!” Henry exclaimed. Emma and Regina laughed.

                “I like Laura, you should invite her over for a playdate, you can be best friends with her,” Emma told him.

                “I don’t know, I got enough tough women in my life,” Henry said making a face.

                “No such thing; invite her over,” Regina insisted. “If not for you, then for me, I want to know her.” Henry groaned as his mothers’ laughed. At home, Emma set about roughhousing with Henry while Regina got started on dinner. The sounds of laughter coming from the den was just pure magic to her. She would never get tired of listening to her family.  Once the lasagna was baking and she had made a side salad, she called Henry to set the table already.

                “Do you want a beer, Emma?” Regina asked coming into the living room.

                “Yes, please and thank you,” Emma said as she bounced after Henry tickling him along the way. Henry laughed and Regina smiled at them as she poured herself a glass of wine, and Emma a beer.

                “Where are the police reports?” Regina asked. She wanted them done tonight, she didn’t want any work this weekend. 

                “Oh um…back at the station,” Emma said.

                “Pick them up, I want to get it done tonight, I just really need the next two days without work stress.” Emma nodded.

                “I’ll run over and get it.” Regina nodded and gave her a kiss. Emma literally ran to the Sheriff’s station because she didn’t bring her bug. She thankfully always carried her keys though, so she grabbed the bug for the way back. She parked next to Regina before she went in as usual the door was unlocked. She locked it behind her though as she didn’t trust people even if Regina said they were afraid. She got her shoes off and put them in their spot as well as her leather jacket. When she entered the kitchen Henry and Regina were staring hard at two cheerios.

                “Uh…should I come back?” Emma asked seeing they were really concentrated. Regina gave a growl of frustration.

                “Move dang it,” Regina told the cheerio. Henry chuckled and then his cheerio moved, just ever so barely in front of Regina’s. He screamed in delight as he cheered.

                “I win, I beat you at magic!” Henry yelled. Regina pouted.

                “Henry has magic?” Emma asked as Regina scoffed.

                “I guess he has the ability to learn it if he wished, but not surprising you are a child of true love, some people like my mother have a natural ability to learn. I was born with mine, because my mother was a magic user. But moving an object, very slightly I might add could be done by anyone really. Even people born with magic sometimes never move the object with their mind but do other great things. And sometimes you get a slight movement and you never do anything again. Usually this all only occurs as a child, and not an adult.”

                “So, you couldn’t move it cause your too old now?” Henry asked. Regina flicked her cheerio at him.

                “I am definitely not old mister,” Regina pouted as he laughed. “Anyway, this is child’s play and I assure you I moved my version of a cheerio across the entire table and it was a long table.” She stuck her tongue out at her son.

                “Pictures or it didn’t happen,” Henry told her.

                “That’s not fair you know there are no pictures,” Regina argued.

                “I guess it didn’t happen,” He shrugged as he mirrored Regina’s best evil grin.

                “Oh, all right I see you Mister,” Regina told him. Emma laughed at them both.

                “I love you two, the sass that gets thrown between you is just magical,” Emma laughed. 

                “All right enough fun, now that Emma is back, we really need to talk about your behavior at the loft,” Regina told him sternly as she looked serious. Henry looked serious as well as they all stood around the island. “What possessed you to leave your muddy shoes on and jump in the bed?”

                “Grandpa,” Henry said. “He said I wasn’t dirty enough, or I didn’t get dirty enough I don’t know. Maybe he meant I was too clean. I was going to take my shoes off outside the door and he made me keep my shoes on. So, then I just stood at the door not wanting to get mud everywhere until Emma came home. He put my stuff everywhere and said I was too neat that boys lived in chaos. I swear he made me jump on the bed. I wouldn’t go on Emma and I’s bed, so he made me do it on theirs to make sure I was doing it right. But you know I love jumping on the bed, I can’t help myself and started to have fun despite the mess.”

                “Of course, he uses your kryptonite,” Regina grumbled.

                “Ugh, I can’t believe him, there is nothing wrong with the way you are, or being clean, your future roommates, friends, girlfriends, or boyfriends will appreciate it.”

                “Boyfriend,” Regina corrected teasingly.

                “Mooom,” Henry whined blushing. Regina chuckled.

                “What?” Regina asked innocently. “I didn’t mention Gabe.” Emma stifled a laugh as she watched Henry get redder.

                “Who’s Gabe?” Emma asked not caring if her son liked boys or not.

                “Henry’s boyfriend, actually a real shame he’s still five years old, but they have been dating since Henry was three, it’s cute, Gabe still has a crush on him, and Henry still meets him for ice cream every Wednesday on the playground.” Henry blushed hard.

                “Um…won’t that make Henry a pedophile.”

                “No!” Henry cried. “I grew out of my crush, but Gabe didn’t, he was good friend.”

                “Yeah, he’s more into Caleb if that’s the right name I saw scribbled on your notebooks,” Regina teased.

                “Mom!” Henry cried covering his face and she knew she was right. “Can I just have my punishment now please.” He was whining now just wishing his mother wouldn’t embarrass him further.

                “Yes, darling, you are on dusting duty for the next week,” Regina told him.

                “Thank you,” He said as the oven timer went off. Soon they were at the table enjoying dinner, Regina gave Emma two helpings of salad to her displeasure, and Henry as well because he’d had granny’s two days in a row.

                “Henry, why didn’t you ever tell me you were gay?” Emma asked wondering if something about her made Henry think he couldn’t tell her. Henry shrugged.

                “We don’t use labels for Henry, he’s also been interested in a girl before, maybe he’s bisexual like you, but Henry has neither confirmed nor denied the liking of girls completely or just out of curiosity.”

                “No, I just like Ava as a friend, I think. When I see Caleb, I get all nervous, but with Ava, she’s nice but I just can’t imagine being around her the same way I want to be around Caleb. Is that okay, do you think she likes me, will she still wanna be my friend?”

                “She will understand honey, you are eleven years old, crushes are natural, but they also usually go away after a while.”

                “Aww but I don’t think I just have a crush on Caleb,” Henry pouted. “I mean I don’t want it to go away.”

                “I know, and maybe it won’t like me and your mom. My crush didn’t suddenly go away,” Emma pointed out smiling at him. He nodded. “Maybe you want to ask him out, you helped me ask your mom, maybe I can help you ask him.” Henry blushed hard and shook his head.

                “No Emma I couldn’t, he’s I don’t know and I’m me,” Henry said.

                “He should be flattered, you’re the Queen’s prince,” Emma told him firmly. He smiled at her.

                “That’s right, you are not below anyone, you are equal,” Regina told him. Emma smiled that Regina wasn’t teaching him that he was above anyone, Snow had tried telling her she was above the people of Storybrooke, even Regina once or twice.

                “Maybe I have to think about it, I don’t know if he even knows who I am,” Henry grumbled.

                 “Oh, everyone knows who you are Henry, you just don’t know if he is gay,” Regina pointed out.  Henry nodded.

                “Can we talk about something else now?” Henry asked. They nodded and Emma talked about her week, it was the usual although Monday was busy as David still had some paperwork left that he had hidden from Carol.

                “She’s going to go after him when she finds out about my day to day with all that extra paperwork,” Regina laughed. Wednesday morning, she’d found that stack on Carol’s desk obviously having been brought in after she was gone.

                “I told him as much, he’s been avoiding her ever since.” They laughed. After dinner Emma insisted on cleaning up with Henry while Regina relaxed. Regina didn’t relax long as she stared at the reports from Emma. Once everything was clean, they had some family time with Henry begging to stay up a little longer. She obliged but missed out on her documentary. Not that she would have had time anyway.

                “Did you have anything planned for us tomorrow, Kathryn is hounding me to know if I have time for a mani-pedi tomorrow,” Regina said.

                “Nope, you’ve had a long week, Henry and I will get his homework done and his dusting done while you go relax with Kathryn.” Regina smiled and kissed Emma.

                “Thank you, I could really use the time to myself.”  Emma nodded. Regina texted Kathryn as Henry called down that he was ready for bed. They kissed him goodnight and he begged a story out of Regina, she told him a story from the Enchanted Forest, the lesson being about keeping promises, she later told Emma considering the entire thing was in Spanish.  Afterwards it was taking care of the reports in the office while Emma pouted around that Regina wasn’t giving her any attention.

                “Maybe now for your sake you will get these reports in on time,” Regina told her smirking.

                “You know I will, I wanna make out before the fire.” Regina chuckled and thankfully was finished at eleven thirty. She was officially free. She shut down her laptop and moved to Emma’s lap. “Yay.” They didn’t talk as they made out, Emma tasted like her apple cider.

                “Em-ma, I’m getting super turned on, we have to stop,” Regina whispered.

                “Don’t wanna,” Emma pouted.

                “I don’t want to either, but you haven’t told me you were officially ready yet,” Regina reminded.

                “I am more than ready, my Queen, but I do want to make it special for you,” Emma said. Regina was about to protest. “Shs I know it’s not your first time ever, but your first time was ruined by a member in my family. So, I think it’s right to come full circle and make it everything you ever dreamed of. So, I want us to have a nice night not an ordinary night. And I need you full of energy, not running off minimal sleep. Because I intend to keep you up all night my Queen.” Regina grinned before she had to laugh at herself.

                “I’m sorry for laughing it’s not at you but me, I just realized that the thought of staying up all night right now even for good sex, was a daunting one. Like I just thought to myself where I was going to pull the energy from just to remain awake after the first orgasm. And not for lack of wanting, because God if you’d let me, I’d take you now, but your right that tonight is too ordinary. It will be my first time exploring your body and I want to take all night to memorize it so that when we do have an ordinary night, I rock your world every time even if we aren’t up all night.” Emma chuckled with her.

                “If I am honest too, I had to chase Pongo multiple times today and am just so over it. One time it was through the damn woods, like I got my cardio for the week.” They laughed together before they went up to bed. They both got changed and showered in separate bathrooms. Emma was glad to see the plushy she had bought tucked into the middle of Regina’s bed.

                “Not worried about the kid seeing the tattoo, I’m surprised he hasn’t said anything.”

                “He knows already, he likes it, is dying to get his own tattoo, but I told him not until he’s thirty and he is upset that so many things can’t happen until he’s thirty.” Emma laughed. They cuddled up together and Emma for the first time in a week slept like a baby in Regina’s arms.


	8. Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight

 

                “Hey baby, why are you up so early?” Emma yawned. She usually didn’t wake up often when Regina got out of bed this early. She had been over nearly every night the last two months, and Regina didn’t seem to be getting annoyed with her presence nor Henry. Her parents though were often complaining she was never home. That led to some bad nights of sleep for her.

                “My morning workout,” Regina told her kissing her lovingly. “I need to get in a good workout today because I don’t plan on us getting out of bed tomorrow until well past lunch.” Emma grinned as she kissed Regina back pulling her back into bed.

                “Too bad the kid is still here, or I’d take you right now,” Emma told her as she grabbed Regina’s butt and squeezed.  “God you and these work out shorts.”  

                “Hmm…I know the feeling, but I’m going to be late, I gotta go,” Regina said.

                “Late, for a run?” Emma asked sitting up as Regina grudgingly pulled herself out of the bed.

                “Not for the run for the work out, you know I work out with others in the park,” Regina said.

                “But you were supposed to work out with me,” Emma whined. Regina chuckled.

                “I said I would run with you in the morning, but you’re welcome to join us as well if you are up, it might do you some good.”

                “It’s not my fault you run so early,” Emma pouted as Regina conjured some workout clothes for Emma and threw them at her gently.

                “How about this for some motivation, today will be a long work out, I’m going to leave a note and some cash for Henry to go to breakfast at Granny’s and more than enough money for a new comic and the arcade with friends. I happen to know Caleb will be there to keep him more than distracted. And since we will have the house to ourselves, I’ll fuck you all day too.”

                “I’m up,” Emma said grinning. “But I need to be fed before we get started.” Regina nodded.

                “Good, I’ll be happy to take dessert early.” Regina left out as Emma got ready. She made sure to leave a note and money for Henry on the breakfast bar where he would find it.  She was putting in her earbuds and choosing her workout music. She zipped her jacket over her sports bra. Emma finally came down moaning that she didn’t want shorts it was too cold.

                “Fine,” Regina waved her hands and she had on longer pants. Regina led Emma into some stretches and other exercises to warm up their muscles before she took off running. She took her down the block until they got to a path that led into the woods. They had been running about ten minutes when they caught up to a group of men and women all dressed in similar black shorts and grey as Regina.

                “You’re late,” Carol called to Regina as she sped up and pulled ahead to the front of the group.

                “Yeah sorry, Emma decided to join us today,” Regina told them. They all glanced back, and Emma noted there were a few faces she did not know and some she did like Carol. 

                “Pick it up Emma no stragglers,” someone called back, and she realized to her shame she was lagging. At some point they reformed to keep her in the middle of them and once she was keeping up, she heard more than saw people turn on their music. Even when she was forced to stop because she just couldn’t keep up, they all jogged in place as they waited for her to catch her breath. She was already sweating.

                “Um…how much longer is this run?” Emma asked as Regina conjured her a bottle of water.

                “Twelve miles out and twelve miles back in,” Regina told her. “We’ve done six.” Emma grimaced. “If you wanna turn back already and meet us at the park it’s all right.”

                “No, no I’m good.” Regina took the water away.  Once Emma was ready, they resumed with her in the middle.

                “Don’t worry it takes a while to build stamina,” They told her. “Just turn your music on the time will fly by.” Emma did at least turn her music on, and the miles did seem to go a little faster. So, when they finally hit the twelve-mile mark, she fell to the ground while they all finally stopped running but then walked around, sipping water, taking deep breaths, and recording their pulse. 

                “You look too hot,” Regina said, the sun had risen, and she had magicked her jacket away about two miles ago.

                “I’m fine.” Emma whimpered she was sweating more than the others. Regina waved her hand and shortened her pants again and turned her jacket into a vest. 

                “Better?” Emma nodded as she chugged her water, but Regina slowed her down.

                “Don’t get too full off water or you are going to puke later trust me,” Regina said as she squatted next to Emma.

                “You run twenty-four miles every morning?” Emma asked.

                “Hmm depends on the morning, we usually do twelve all together, but weekends we do twenty-four plus the course.”

                “The course?”

                “You’ll see,” Regina said patting her side. “Now come on, enough rest time, the course is twelve miles long.” Emma nearly cried when they put on weighted backpacks full of sand. She was just grateful that her own pack was nothing like theirs, but it was at least two pounds. They began to run back, about two miles in Regina and a man started to climb a long rope as soon as they were halfway up the next two started.

                “Go, Go move your bodies up that rope!” Carol yelled and suddenly Emma saw her as Regina’s general.  When it was Emma’s turn, she struggled up, at some point someone took her on their shoulders basically and Regina was there to give her a hand up onto a platform. She pulled Emma up as the person under her pushed up.

                “Maybe I should send you ahead of us to the end of the course,” Regina suggested.

                “No, no I can do it, monkey bars now, right?” Emma asked as she watched the others go by.

                “Yeah, but you don’t go without a rope connected to me and another.” Emma pouted. As the last guy before Carol joined their side. She hooked a rope around Emma’s waist and lead rope to him.

                “Jack you can only go two poles ahead of Emma or you’ll force her to drop and possibly me. Always wait for my signal to keep moving.”  He nodded. Once Regina was secure, He jumped up, he went two out, then Regina lifted Emma when she failed to jump.

                “Thanks babe,” Emma blushed.

                “No problem, darling.” Emma managed to move forward, giving Jack a little slack. He moved one at Regina’s indication before she jumped up. She stayed two behind Emma once they got started. By the time they were in the middle Emma’s arms were burning, but she didn’t dare ask to stop because hanging would be worse and she kept her eyes on the bars, she didn’t want to know how far up they were. She would maybe ask that when their feet were on the ground.

                “Almost there, baby you’re doing so well,” Regina told her encouragingly. “See if you can move in tandem with Jack.” Emma tried and they eventually found a rhythm and Emma could finally see the place where they could drop down. Carol was there waiting for them.

                “You’re holding the entire team up, let’s go slowpokes!” Carol yelled. Jack dropped down first. He made sure to keep a steady hand on the rope as Emma made it. She swung in and finally Regina. Jack took off the rope and slid down the rope easily.

                “Let me go first babe,” Regina told her. Emma nodded Regina went down and controlled herself. She was right in thinking that Emma wouldn’t go down so gently. She caught her on her shoulders.

                “Just gently let the rope pass through your hands Emma, I got you, you’re still attached to me by rope.

                 “Oh, Regina thank God, I seriously thought I was about to die,” Emma said.

                 “Nope, I was waiting for you.” Soon Regina’s feet were on the ground. She got out from under Emma and kept a hand on her as she slid the rest of the way down.

                “Finally let’s go children it’s getting late!” Carol yelled. Regina pulled Emma by the hand and they started running. Emma tripped a few times as she wasn’t expecting roots so high, she needed to put her knees to her chest if she wanted to make it, and god was she tired. Carol yelled at her the entire way to get her knees up to her chest. They swung over a river; they had crossed a bridge before. Emma started to pay more attention to Regina’s movements ahead of her, so she was lucky she started weaving through a set of tightly packed trees and jumping over roots too in the process. Then Regina climbed a tree at the end and jumped from tree to tree from right to left. There was nowhere for her just walk through.  Emma hit every tree hard, scrapped up her knees and elbows, she was glad it was only four trees. It wasn’t until she realized she was ahead of Regina that she knew Regina had transported her ahead as she caught up to the others who were at a dead run. It didn’t take Regina and Carol long to catch up. They all dived down and made it under a net before crawling up one, and down before another two-mile run. They used each other to get over the wall. Emma was surprised when they made her go up first, it really was a no man left behind kind of group. Once everyone was over the wall they kept running, Emma almost cried when the town came into view, but they didn’t stop, they went all the way to the park. In the park she collapsed and could take off her sand pack and Regina gave her water.

                “Great warm up guys!” Carol yelled.

                “Warm up?” Emma asked looking horrified.

                “Yeah come on, time for the real work out,” Regina grinned. She was all smiles.

                “All right ladies and Gents, I want Jump Jack, burpee, and before you come up from that I want a push up, high five your partner, side twist, back to plank, push up, and finish the burpee. And when you’re up I want you lift first your right leg to a ninety-degree angle and twist, and back down, repeat and do the opposite leg understand?”

                “Yes Ma’am!” They all yelled.

                 “Do it one hundred times since Emma slowed us all down!” Carol yelled. They groaned but got started. Emma realized right away that she was not a good partner for Regina who was always waiting for her to get her push up down so they could high five.

                “Come on Emma, you can do it, you’ve been doing so well today,” Regina said. When they finally made it to one hundred her arms felt limp.

                “One hundred squat pulses and sumo squat pulses.” Emma was crying by the time they got to yoga. Before that she had done pull ups, tried very hard to move some heavy ropes like waves. Failed to jump up on a box with both feet, or one foot until they gave her something like a step stool in comparison. She had failed to do the lunges with Regina on her shoulders, even though she could carry her. Regina however had been a straight beast about it. Then there was sparring Regina didn’t partner with her, in fact Emma had to sit that one out except for hitting pads with Carol and Carol called her weak and distracted and honest she was by Regina taking down Falcon as they’d called him. He was at least five stone heavier than Regina.

                “Oh my God, I don’t even have the strength for downward dog,” Emma cried as she fell to her knees.

                “Get up Emma you are the Sheriff!” Carol yelled. Emma got up but she cried all through yoga really despite Regina’s gentle encouragement to keep up the good work. The best part for Emma was finally them laying down and enjoying the sun and breathing.

                “Great work out today guys, and that’s it for today, see you all tomorrow when we run the course again.”

                “You’re going to do all this again tomorrow?” Emma asked looking wide eyed in fear at Regina.

                “Not us, dear, we’re sleeping in tomorrow,” Regina told her gently pulling her up. “You did well today, what do you say we run over to Granny’s and I treat you to some of her pancakes?” Regina used a towel to wipe off her face.

                “Regina, why didn’t you tell me that you would be enduring this kind of torture, and daily!” Emma cried.

                “Oh honey, yeah today was hard, but you know I am so proud of you for making through the big course, and so is everyone else.”

                “Made it, I held you up!” Emma cried. “You transported me ahead of you.”

                “Hmm…I did, but that’s because you were hurting yourself darling,” Regina told her kissing her forehead. The others came by and clapped Emma on the back and said they hoped she came again and couldn’t wait to see her get better at the course. “The tree jumping is something you ought to practice safely as well as the monkey bars, but that I could at least remedy that with rope if you dropped. Anyway, I am just so proud of you now come on, come get some celebratory pancakes you deserve it.”  Regina pulled her along with her arm around Emma’s neck.

                “But Regina, Ruby will see your tattoo, maybe you should just carry my tired legs home.”

                “No walking is good for you,” Regina told her. They made it to Granny’s with most of the people they had worked out with.

                “What is this a work out club?” Ruby asked.

                “What do you mean Ms. Lucas?” Regina asked cluelessly on purpose. Emma looked confused.

                “Jack, is this a workout club?” Ruby asked him.

                “Ruby, what work out club, could you just get our orders, we’re starving,” he said indicating him and his boyfriend. She glared at them all.

                “Rule number one we don’t talk about fight club,” Regina told Emma within ear shot of Ruby.  Ruby glared at her.

                “You’re not in a fight club, fuck off Regina!” Ruby yelled.

                “Ruby stop cursing at the customers and get their orders,” Granny yelled. Regina led Emma to their usual booth, and they sat side by side.

                “You’re not worried about being seen?” Emma asked indicating Regina’s lack of clothing.

                “No, this is a pretty common sight if anyone is up early enough when it gets hot during the weekdays or on Saturday mornings, Sundays too even maybe if they aren’t at church still.” Emma nodded.

                “Eat your omelet first Ms. Swan,” Regina instructed. “After all that your body needs the protein.” Emma nodded.

                “How come Ruby isn’t part of the group?” Emma asked after she like everyone else had a big breakfast although everyone else’s was way more balanced than her own when Regina let her get the pancakes.

                “What do you mean?” Regina asked as they walked home.

                “I mean she’s a freaking werewolf if there was anyone in town who could keep up it’s her,” Emma said.

                 “Oh yes, well of course she can keep up, that’s not the issue, the issue is that she’s part of Snow’s guard. Even if she wanted too, there’s no way Snow would let her hang out with the black guard. I mean in the park we look like any regular work out group, but when we’re in the forest the way we run together and work together to get through the obstacle course is well more military style. People would get the wrong idea.” Emma nodded.

                “But you let me come and they didn’t get mad at you,” Emma said.

                “We knew you wouldn’t make assumptions, I asked if they wouldn’t mind if you came along, they agreed since you are responsible for the town’s wellbeing after all.”

                 “Well after today I don’t think I should be, they should,” Emma said.

                 “They have other jobs they like to do right now,” Regina replied as they reached Mifflin street. “So, I have a dilemma.”

                “About what, firing me after seeing how weak I am, well believe me I truly understand,” Emma told her. Regina chuckled.

                “You did great and no, my dilemma is that I am very thirsty right now and would like to sat that thirst as soon as humanly possible which would be about ten seconds, but we’re all sweaty so a shower is likely to come first before that thirst could be sated.” Emma gulped as Regina opened her front door.

                “Maybe we can do both, like maybe we can clean each other and dry each other off.”

                “Seems almost counter productive don’t you think when you’re just going to get….” Regina paused in talking as the sound of the television was blaring from her living room.

                “What the…Henry is that you?” Regina called out as they paused in the foyer. Henry appeared at the door way to the den.

                “Hi mom, back already thought you might work out longer with Emma slowing you down.”

                “No, she did fine, I thought you would be at the arcade today,” Regina said as Emma shut the door.

                “Oh, I was but like something was wrong with the wiring and then I saw grandma and she had some news for you. I told her you guys were out on a run.”

                “Mother, Emma you’re back finally!” Snow called as she came out of the downstairs bathroom. Emma sighed and sat down, clearly; she had suffered needlessly. Regina sat down as well on the couch just dodging a hug from Snow indicating she was too sweaty.

                “Henry turn that off so I can talk.” Henry paused his game and silence filled the room.

                “What is it Snow?” Regina asked wondering if she could still get her son out of the house for the day until he slept at his grandparents.

                “Well I wanted you three to be the first to know after David that is, that I am pregnant.” To say they were shocked was one thing.

                “Yay, I’m going to be a nephew!” Henry exclaimed. Regina had to chuckle at that.

                “Oh, congratulations,” Emma said frowning. She didn’t know if she could watch her mother, be a mother to a sibling. Maybe if they had already existed, but now she didn’t know.

                “Thank you honey, David and I are really excited to finally be parents,” Snow gushed. Regina frowned seeing the hurt look on Emma’s face.

                “Snow, would it hurt you if I said something like I was a first-time mother only after I had Henry, or would you like to be included in my number of children?” Regina asked her.

                “Of course, I would be included in your number of children,” Snow told her.

                “Then why in the world would you word that sentence the way you just did, Emma is still your child. You gave birth to her and she survived and since she loves you, you’re her Mother and not just her birth giver. You need to learn to choose your words more carefully.” Snow was all tears as she turned to Emma.

                “I didn’t mean to not count you Emma, I just meant we were excited to be there in a way we couldn’t for you, and we’re excited that you are here to be a big sister too honest. I swear I can’t imagine this baby without you in the picture.”

                “Thanks Snow, I needed to hear that you still want me around in the family.”

                “Of course!” Snow exclaimed. “You’re still going to be their big sister!”

                “Should be a fun dinner explaining all the family lines and why you’re older than your parents,” Regina joked to lighten the mood.

                “Good thing we have practice with the kid,” Emma said smiling for the first time since the announcement. 

                “Well if that is all congratulations, I’m sure you have stuff to do,” Regina said. She wanted a shower and she need to think up something to occupy her son’s time so that she could occupy Emma’s time.

                “Oh, I thought you might want to look at baby stuff with me,” Snow pouted. “I even bought my knitting basket to make clothes.” Regina looked concerned for a moment.

                “Snow don’t make clothes it’s bad luck if you do it,” Regina told her. “Everyone knows that, and Granny I might add would agree.” A hand went to Snow’s stomach as she pulled out what should have been a baby sweater in white yarn, and it was very misshapen. 

                “Leave that um…sweater with me, I’ll take care of it and dispel all the bad luck. You go tell Granny and Ruby they’re bound to be excited and Granny needs to get started on that baby blanket.”  Snow nodded and beamed at her. Once she had kissed Emma and Henry and hugged Regina. She tried to go in for a kiss but got rejected.

                “What are you even going to do with that?” Emma asked pointing to the sweater.

                “Undo it, I’d burn it, but I don’t need any coincidences with her and that baby,” Regina said making Henry and Emma laugh. Regina waved her hand and the needles came free and finally the yarn was just one ball and it glowed a little bit.

                “What’s that glow?” Henry asked.

                “Her love, she’s terrible at womanly arts, but her love is true, I will give this to Granny to use in the blanket.” She waved her hand and it disappeared to the old woman with a note.

                “So, what are your plans for today kid?” Emma asked. She didn’t want to dwell on her mother and her procreating again. She wanted to focus on her family at least one half of it.

                “Uh…I was hoping that maybe you guys would want to go rollerblading in Portland, there’s like a disco thingy, but on rollerblades. I was going to ask anyway I didn’t really want to go to the arcade today but was just going to kill time until you got home.” They both paused trying to figure out how to tell his hopeful little face no, that today was for them finally. The last few weekends had been filled with Henry begging them to do this or that which was fine, but it left little time for them to make good on their promise to each other to have a day just for them to make it special. “Well actually it’s better if we go at night so I thought we could go to a museum or something or enjoy the coast.”

                  “That sounds really nice…and….” Emma frowned. She had no excuse to say no, the kid was going to school on time, staying, he had brought home an A on an English paper just last night. He had helped Regina with chores without asking. He was not a bad kid and she had no valid reason for saying no, she could see that Regina had come up with nothing as well. “…but kid to be honest with you, you’re cockblocking.” Regina looked at Emma like she might murder her. “What you told him he couldn’t come on our week trip because of that, why can’t I use it.”

                “Because I wasn’t serious,” Regina put back.

                “It’s okay mom,” Henry said as she sat down red in the face for once.

                “Henry, to be honest with you and not crass like your mother. Emma and I really wanted to spend today together as a couple and reward you for all your good behavior. We really love spending time with you as a family, it really warms our hearts, but it’s also important that we make time for each other. And contrary to what your mother implied that’s not about sex, it’s about intimacy, just having the other’s full attention just like you want our full attention, sometimes we would like each other’s full attention.”  Henry nodded.

                “I understand, I’m sorry it didn’t work out with the arcade, but I really was hoping we could go and maybe take Caleb with us. You have magic, can’t you protect him?”

                “I don’t really know to be honest sweetie, I mean after what happened to Belle, I suppose true love’s kiss would wake him up, but Caleb doesn’t have a true love yet, and he lives with foster parents not to say they can’t love him truly it’s just hard to really know sometimes.” Henry looked down so depressed as he got up and just went upstairs. Regina sighed she hated to disappoint her son.

                “Well today went from hot to not,” Emma grumbled.

                “So, what shall we do instead,” Regina grumbled.

                “I literally don’t even know, to be honest I was hoping you would want to start early any how I had nothing planned,” Emma told her.

                “Same, just exercise and hope you said yes to starting early.”

                “We should have just gotten a room at Granny’s, Ruby would have talked but who cares, at least we’d be together.”

                “We are still together just not that together, as for Ms. Lucas I would have erased her memory honestly.” Emma nodded. “Why don’t we go sit in the garden after our shower, or showers cold showers.”  Emma grimaced but agreed. They were just getting up the stairs when Henry was glaring at them.

                “I expected you five minutes ago, insisting we at least still hang out or coming up with some other idea, that Caleb could be invited too.”

                “Henry what would you like to do today?” Regina asked him.

                “Camping with Caleb, it’s still inside the town line, and he’s never been,” Henry said.

                “Henry…that is super short notice for camping,” Emma said.

                “Yeah, it’s fine, Emma, I guess if sex with my mom is more important than your son…” Henry was saying.

                “Kid no! You and your mom are the most important things in my life, I don’t need sex to want to be with either of you.” Regina stood behind Emma shaking her head at the manipulation, she was not falling for it.

                “Henry, that was very manipulative of you…” Regina started.

                “No, no Regina it’s fine we’re going camping, come on, let’s get showered, I’ll gather what we need from dad.

                “We have our own gear,” Regina sighed as Emma headed for the guest bathroom. Henry cheered and said he would text Caleb to come over. Regina went to her own bedroom. She shut the door and locked it. She threw up a spell that kept sound from traveling from her room. She was going to need to take care of herself.  She was just laying back with her vibrator teasing her through her shorts and panties, she knew she was already soaked and had been since she had watched Emma doing the pull ups like a boss.

                “Mom?” Henry asked knocking on the door. “Are you okay I can’t hear anything not even your shower.”  He tried the door. Regina groaned and put away her vibrator. She went to door just as he was declaring he was getting Emma.

                “I’m here honey, what’s wrong?” Regina asked opening it.

                “I couldn’t hear you anymore,” Henry frowned. Regina made a mental note that he could easily hear her from her room.

                “Well I was just sitting and having a rest,” Regina said.

                “Hmm…do you think Caleb will like me after the trip?” Henry asked coming in. He sat down on her bed as Regina just started to finally undress.

                “I think he must like you enough now to even agree to go on this trip with you,” Regina pointed out as she threw her things in the hamper.

                “You make a good point. Mom?” Henry asked. Regina paused in going into the bathroom. “How come you get naked in front of me and Emma is all freaked out?” Regina shrugged.

                “Different worlds I guess, it’s just it’s natural to me that mother and child see each other naked. Well in my case more my nanny’s. Perhaps in our case you’ve seen me naked longer than you should, but it’s whatever you’ve seen me, and I’ve seen you, our bodies are natural. Whereas for Emma maybe seeing a parent naked probably wasn’t a good sign.”

                “You think she has?” Henry asked Regina shrugged.

                “I don’t know she’s never told me such things, but I imagine that maybe she would be privy to such things and that has its own representation in her mind.” He nodded. “Also, she might just prefer to be covered instead of exposed. Either way it’s normal to have seen or not seen. What’s not normal is to be touched.” Henry nodded his head. He let Regina get in the shower before he moved to his spot on the toilet. He remembered as a kid being told to not move from the spot when he was refusing to nap or woke up too early unless Regina just put him in the shower with her, telling him, it meant he could skip his bath later that night. He started telling her how he had seen Caleb at the arcade and him talking about roller blading and camping. Regina listened attentively because she was never taking for granted that her son even wanted to talk to her, only a year ago it had been grunts and her showers lonely. She smiled at him through the steam not that he saw, but still it was given that smile that was just for him.

                “So, you wanted to make one of his dreams come true,” Regina said. Henry nodded.

                “I just wanted him to notice me, I hope I’m not being too aggressive.”

                “Henry inviting someone on a pleasurable activity is not aggressive. However, if they agree and you begin to push yourself on them by uncomfortably invading their physical space, well that is where you go wrong. Or if they had refused and you keep trying to push them into it, that is also wrong.”

                “How do I know if even what I do as a friend is wrong. Like when I was younger with Gabe, I could just grab his hand and it was okay. I don’t understand.”

                “For starters stop treating this like a date, that kind of thing is unexpected when Caleb just thinks you’re going as friends. So be his friend first and foremost. Stop trying to one side date him before you’ve got the courage to tell him that you like him. When he knows and he does not reject you, he’ll be a little more accepting of holding hands maybe, but you should really try to ask for consent.” Henry nodded forgetting Regina wasn’t looking at him. Regina was taking a moment to take a cold shower after getting cleaning. She let the cold water wash over her and wash her desires away for now anyway, she’d had the lid boiling off all morning, and now she had to put it back on tightly. She hadn’t felt like this in years, decades really.

                “Mom?” Henry called.

                “Oh, sorry sweetie, what did you say?” Regina asked wiping the water off her face as she finally turned off the shower.

                “I said someone is at the door and I was going down.”

                “Okay sweetheart,” Regina replied. She gave him a smile as she stepped out of the shower.  She dried herself off and put on her robe before she stepped out of the bathroom just as Emma was walking in.

                “And just like that the cold shower was useless,” Emma murmured as she went to her bag for her brush.

                “No kidding,” Regina said eying Emma’s behind. God she couldn’t wait until Emma was willing for a quickie, because she would settle right now.

                “Regina behave,” Emma said. Regina smirked.

                “That’s really not something I am accustomed too, Ms. Swan,” Regina said closing the door. Her spell went up again. “I’m sure we can find a few moments for us Ms. Swan.” Emma gulped.

                “God you are so hot right now,” Emma said before she kissed her and pressed her up against the door. Regina let out a sigh of pleasure as one of Emma’s hands moved from her waist and went to her thigh and was rising up. God it was like fire on her skin and she had missed this burn.

                “Mom, Emma!” Henry called up. “Caleb’s here you almost done!”

                “Fuck tomorrow he is going to my parents, I just need the night with you even if I am late for work,” Emma said.

                “Definitely.” With a wave of her hand, they were both dressed for camping because if she didn’t get clothes on them soon, Henry could shout all he wanted there would be no stopping her from taking Emma until she screamed her name.

                “Just a minute Henry!” Emma called when he called again.

                “He can’t hear you; you have to open the door to break the spell I put up.” Emma nodded and did so.  Soon Regina brought out two hiking backpacks and grabbed a third for Henry. Soon she had everything packed, because the sooner they were out in the woods, the sooner maybe she’d stop thinking about fucking Emma and start thinking about enjoying her time with her son.

                “Ah you must be Caleb,” Regina said walking down the stairs.

                 “Hi um..mayor…um…your evilness…I mean royalness….uh highness no….majesty?”  He fell to his knees in total fear that he had messed up just like his foster parents told him not too. “Please don’t fireball me.” Henry groaned.

                “Caleb, Ms. Mills is just fine, now, get up sweetheart and show me what you brought for camping, Henry says you’ve never been, and I need to make sure we have enough supplies.”  He got up nervously and brought over his backpack. He had a change of clothes and a flashlight.”

                “All right, we’ll have to make a stop at the camping store for a few essentials.”  Henry nodded. As Emma came downstairs.

                “Oh my God it’s the savior!” Caleb cried. Henry looked annoyed.

                “Falls out crying over both of you, one in fear and the other because he’s fangirling.” Regina chuckled though as she watched Emma trying to tell Caleb that she was ordinary, and that he didn’t need to call her Savior. Soon they were on their way out once the car was packed.

                 “All right you need a belt, carries bug spray, swiss army knife, water, and a lighter because you never know.” She got Caleb and Emma some proper hiking boots.

                “I can’t afford this,” Caleb said.

                “It’s a gift, so you don’t hurt yourself hiking through the woods, right shoe wear is very important, and I don’t want to bring you back injured.” He nodded. “And the belt will stay with us.” He smiled at her. Caleb’s smile she had to admit was dazzling and she could see why her son was suddenly swooning behind the sunglasses rack.  Once they were prepared, they left the shop and ran into David and Mary Margaret, before Regina knew it, it was a whole family trip. Of course, Snow didn’t have the right boots and sprained her ankle.

                “I am fine, I just will have to sit and enjoy nature,” Snow said. Thankfully she had tripped just feet from the camp sight.

                “David you take the boys down to catch lunch,” Regina said. “Emma and I will get the tents up.”

                “Sure thing, come on guys.” They dropped their bags and hurried over to David to gather the fishing gear before they headed to the nearby river. Regina showed Emma how to properly put up a tent. She managed to put up the boys tent alone afterwards.  

                “Oh, I guess David forgot our tent,” Snow lied. “I guess we’re sleeping with you and Emma in your larger tent.” Emma huffed, any thoughts she had about maybe Regina utilizing her spell to keep others from hearing anything or maybe they could sneak down to the river and do it under the stars there. But no, no of course not Snow was cock blocking.  Regina magicked a third tent to her surprise.

                “Oh, look at that,” Regina said. “Seems like it’s here anyway.” Emma snickered at the look on Snow’s face.

                 “Regina what happened to no magic?” Snow asked frowning.

                “Yeah, I abandoned that a while ago, and Henry’s all right with it,” Regina told her shrugging. She turned to Emma. “Guess I’m Regina again finally.” Emma snickered some more as they walked off to collect firewood. When they came back the tent was destroyed.

                “I’m sleeping next to you Mother,” Snow told her.  

                “We’ll see about that,” Regina grumbled as they set up a fire ring, using rocks to encircle a circle of dirt that Regina hallowed out. Emma and her, had fun ignoring Snow as they built a house of sticks. In the doorway Regina stuffed it with moss before they used flint and stone to start a fire.

                “Good job,” Regina told her when the fire lit on the moss. She blew on it and eventually the flames began licking at the wood for more fuel. They had a good fire going when Henry, David, and Caleb came back grinning.

                “So how about a first aid and cooking lesson today?” Regina suggested. They nodded. First, she showed them how to wrap Snow’s ankle. Mentioning that if gauze wasn’t available, they could achieve the same thing with cloth from one’s clothes. After Snow was taken care of, she took the fish back down to the river where they used the water to clean the scales off with their swiss army knives. She showed them how to get the guts out without puncturing the gall bladder and ruining the fish. Once the cleaned fish were in a basket she had brought, she took them on a small hike for herbs with Emma. Anything to get away from Snow’s nauseating singing and complaining about bugs. They used the herbs to stuff inside the fish, built a spit, and soon had the fish roasting over the fire.

                “See I told you, mom knows how to camp,” Henry told her Emma as they were enjoying their meal later.

                “And cook,” Emma said. She really wasn’t a fish fan, but even she had to admit this was good. Caleb was having the time of his life as they learned about plants and staying safe in the woods. They even went swimming, and Regina eventually had a hunting contest with David, they both brought down a rabbit, but Regina’s looked bigger in her opinion even as Emma declared it was tie. They had rabbit for dinner before they all retired with Regina fixing the tent with a glare at Snow.

                “Fuck baby,” Emma groaned in a whisper as Regina’s teeth grazed her skin. She didn’t have to be quiet Regina had put the spell up. But pretending like they were trying to be quiet brought its own excitement.

                “Fuck indeed, Ms. Swan.” Regina murmured before she went back to kissing her. Emma gripped Regina’s butt and pulled her, so she was straddling her. They kissed a few more minutes before Regina sat up to take her shirt off, she wanted to feel her skin against Emma.

                “Regina, Emma!” Snow exclaimed as she opened the zipper. Regina sighed as she put her shirt down.

                “What is it Snow?” Regina asked not moving from her place on Emma who was looking just as annoyed.

                “Our tent burned down now get off our daughter.” Snow came in with a lamp as Regina moved seeing as she was not going to get any time with her love tonight and she didn’t want to be annoyed or angry. She just wanted to be happy and horny. David came in eyes covered.

                “Are you decent?” He asked them.

                “Yes,” They said a silent unfortunately following it.

                “You’ll have to share your blanket of course,” Snow said before going between them.

                “Snow come on what the hell,” Regina grumbled. “Go sleep next to your husband.” Snow wouldn’t be budged, and she didn’t like to sleep without light, so no one really slept despite Regina remaking their tent and sending them back at least three times during the night. Snow set it on fire every time until Regina gave up.

                “How did you boys sleep?”  Regina asked when she took them down early to fish for breakfast.

                “Good,” They said. She watched them fishing more than she did any actual fishing. After breakfast they went on a long hike with Emma.

                “Whoa, what are you doing?” Regina asked later as she got out of her car, now parked next to the bug again.

                “Coming in for dinner,” Snow said. Henry had unexpectedly been invited to dinner when they dropped off Caleb, and they had begged to have a sleepover. Regina had pretended to be against it and Emma too, but really, they didn’t fight it as they let Henry think his puppy eyes had won them over. Regina had magicked his school bag, uniform, and toiletries over. It took all her power not to speed away from her child. Now she found Snow waiting on her porch with Charming.

                “I swear if I had thought for one second this was going to be a thing, I might have saved us both this torture and put myself out of my misery,” Emma grumbled from behind her.

                “Well I’m tired, so I’m really not up for family dinner,” Regina told her. “So, you should really go home and get some rest, and I don’t know check your ankle with Dr. Whale.”

                “Fine, Emma get your things in the truck then if Regina is tired.”

                “What is going on?” Emma asked. “Why are you so persistent right now?”

                “Emma, everyone thinks you’re the Evil Queen’s whore because you can’t be bothered to ask Mother to marry you. I am protecting your virtue.”

                “Virtue?” Regina asked. She bit her lip before she said something unintentionally mean about her girlfriend and son. She went into the house, because she was not having this conversation on her front lawn for the neighbors to hear. Not that it mattered as the yelling that followed from Emma and Snow was loud enough.

                “Um…can I get a scotch on the rocks please?” David asked looking just as embarrassed as she felt.

                “Definitely.” They were both focusing on the scotch when it finally ended.

                “Fine, let everyone think you’re a whore!” Snow yelled. “David!”

                “Thank you for the drink, really good stuff as usual,” David said before he left out. Regina nodded to him.  She poured a third glass and made it full. Emma angrily stomped inside with their camping stuff, then back out. She had the entire car unloaded in her anger. Before she finally took the offered drink from Regina and sat down hard in front the television.

                “I’m going to take a shower,” Regina said. She didn’t get a response, so with a sigh she went up and showered. She dressed in a pair of shorts and one of Emma’s tang tops she’d left behind and found itself in her drawers. She only stopped to hide the marks on her belly. When she went back downstairs Emma was nowhere to be found, so she put away their camping stuff, throwing clothes in the laundry, and packing away tents and sleeping bags and boots. She cleaned her foyer of the dirt that was dragged in to her displeasure.

                “Thanks a lot Snow meddling in my life and now I’m at home alone, with the female version of blue balls,” Regina grumbled to herself as she thought about what to eat for dinner. The front door opened, and Regina closed the refrigerator as she turned around. She saw Emma enter the dining room with bags from Granny’s.

                “Hey, I wasn’t sure what you were in the mood for, but I just needed a burger from Granny’s after I took a shower.” Regina for the first time noticed Emma was in fresh clothes, she must have been in longer than she thought.

                “Whatever you got for me is fine,” Regina said. “I don’t think you’re a whore.”

                “Even though I had sex out of wedlock with the man that had me thrown in jail while pregnant?” Emma asked frowning at the things Snow had said to her. Regina took her usual seat as Emma handed her a burger and then split her usual kale salad between them.

                “Even though you gave birth to the best thing in my life,” Regina replied. “You see a mistake and I see a chain of unfortunate events that finally brought a little light into the world. Henry is no mistake.” Emma smiled at her.  “And you forgot something dear.” Emma looked confused and then looked at her fries and chuckled. Regina never ordered fries but always took hers.

                “One day you are going to get your own fries, woman,” Emma teased.

                “Never, not when yours continue to taste delicious,” Regina told her plucking a fry from Emma’s tray. They ate while Emma bitched about Snow, Regina listened to every bit of it agreeing with some things openly and others deciding she had best not weigh in on right now or it would bring up past things. And she didn’t want to open that can of worms.

                 “Okay she sucks, but what do you say we forget about her, and just focus on us. You go grab a bottle of wine and two glasses, and I’ll go start a fire. Now sex or no sex all I have been looking forward too is time with my beautiful girlfriend without distractions.” Emma smiled and nodded. They cleaned up their trash and went to go start their tasks.  Regina moved the coffee table back and laid out a blanket with a few throw pills by the fire and lit some candles around the room. This weekend hadn’t gone as planned but she missed the cuddling and talking part they’d done during their vacation too. Emma joined her with two glasses filled to the brim and another full bottle.

                  “I know you always pour halfway but I’m a to the brim kind of girl.” Regina chuckled and patted the place on the blanket next to her. Emma handed her the glasses. Emma sat down and they drank their wine and enjoyed the silence for a moment. They talked about the upcoming week, and Henry wanting to go to Boston.

                “We can take him during the summer, I work less hours because Henry is out of school, and I usually have three weeks set aside just for us. And you technically still have vacation time as well.”

                “Maybe we can do Boston and New York then, or someplace else?” Emma asked. “Some place he’d least expect.”

                “He’s always wanted to go to Disney, and I have always wanted to be some place warm again on the beach.”

                “Florida or California then?” Emma asked.

                “What’s better?” Regina asked. Emma shrugged.

                 “Well they all have their own points; I think saying which park is better is impossible when we’ve never been. Personally, I’d love to take him to both one day. I suppose things to consider are, we could drive down to Florida, and sight see our way down the coast.  Or we can drive to Boston, sightsee, and then take a plane to California.” Regina was nodding as her phone beeped.

                “Backstreet Boys are in California this Summer around our vacation,” Regina informed her as her screen lit up. 

                “California?” Emma asked. Regina grinned at her.

                “California,” Regina agreed as they clinked glasses. Regina bought three tickets to the Backstreet Boys concert after explaining Henry was a huge fan too.

                “The kid is going to lose his shit,” Emma chuckled when Regina had conjured up a small screen so they could watch videos of him dancing to the Backstreet Boys in his little band t-shirt. Instances of Henry insisting on operating the camera exclaiming that he had caught her. Emma was so taken with her girlfriend; she had never looked so beautiful as she did when she saw the love she had for her son. Well she had seen it several times in person, but it just never failed to wow her.  Emma didn’t know when the second bottle of wine emptied and the conversation stopped, and the kissing began but it really didn’t matter. All that mattered was her and Regina. They didn’t stop each other from grazing teeth against skin, or Emma found Regina enjoyed their love bites that were followed by kisses over the area. Regina discovered just how sensitive Emma was near her collar bone and promptly left a hickey there that had her crying out her name already. Regina was so turned on she made sure Emma never stopped as she began to see where else on Emma’s body except between her legs, she could get her to scream her name. Sadly, she only had two places worth screaming her name over, and unfortunately, she had yet to touch number two. Not before she at least reconfirmed with Emma that this was what she wanted.

                “Why did you stop?” Emma pouted; she was breathless already.

                “I just wanted to check in, see that this is still what you wanted before we go anywhere further,” Regina told her.

                “Regina we’re pretty far in,” Emma pointed out.

                “Yes, but you can say no or stop at any time it doesn’t matter how far in we are, I just want you to know that, and to get your consent.” Emma smiled at her and sat up so she could kiss Regina deeply.

                “I want this very much and please don’t stop, my need for you right now is insane,” Emma told her. Regina smiled at her.

                “Tell me what you want,” Regina whispered in her ear.

                “Eat my pussy,” Emma replied. Regina gave a shutter of pleasure as she felt the wetness grow between her own legs. They kissed again with Regina making sure to pay extra special attention to the nipples until Emma was moaning loudly again. She very slowly in Emma’s opinion kissed her way down. Until she was practically dragging her pants off with her teeth. Emma now regretted her choice of jeans.  The panties followed with Regina’s teeth doing the taking off, making sure she grazed Emma’s sensitive skin making her shiver. Regina could already smell Emma’s arousal; her panties were as soaked as she couldn’t wait to taste it on her tongue. Regina took her time at first kissing the side of her thighs, grazing over the Emma’s vaginal lips with her tongue. Anything to tease without really touching. It didn’t take long for Emma to whine that she was a tease and beg her to take her already. Smirking Regina did just that flicking her tongue over her wet folds, teasing a bit more by not giving Emma any direct clit contact, but rather indirect. However, Regina’s plan back fired as indirect contact with the clit seemed to give Emma the most pleasure unless she was full on sucking on it. But she loved when Regina was running her tongue down its length rather than going straight for the heart of the pleasure at the tip until she was good a ready. Regina thought about fucking Emma, but she didn’t want to penetrate her without permission.

                 “Fuck Re…gi…na!” Emma cried out as she came hard and suddenly when Regina decided to reach up and claim a nipple between her thumb and index finger. Regina pouted up at Emma who was breathing hard.

                “I was trying to drag that out a lot longer,” Regina complained.

                “Sorry you’re just too good,” Emma said. “Like I’m so out of breath, I don’t know how I will ever get the strength to fuck you.”

                “Oh, you had better Ms. Swan, if at all possible, I am wetter than you are right now,” She told her. Emma groaned in delight she was still reacting to Regina she didn’t want to move, but damn it if she didn’t blow this woman’s mind too. Regina kissed her way back up and they kissed deeply, and God she loved the taste of herself on Regina’s lips.

                “Fuck me already Ms. Swan,” Regina growled in her ear as she nipped at it with her teeth.  They return to kissing only moving to get Regina’s shorts off, the tang top had long been discarded for skin to skin contact, so Emma wasted no time aggressively squeezing and sucking and her boobs. Regina grimaced a little as Emma was a little too hard too fast.

                “Em, baby you can be firm but not hard,” Regina corrected. Emma nodded, but Regina didn’t really get the change she was looking for. But then Emma was kissing her neck again and everything was okay.

                “Can I put my fingers inside of you?” Emma asked. Regina nodded.

                “Yes,” Regina agreed, fingers inside weren’t her favorite thing, but they were nice for a long the way.  And then Emma was inside of her tentatively at first, but Regina enjoyed the teasing until Emma was looking very determined and not paying any attention to her clit and was coupled with aggressive boob sucking.

                “Uh Emma,” Regina said.

                “Yes?” Emma asked releasing a boob, but then she also pulled out as she seemed to realize that Regina was no longer as into in as she once was. “Oh My God you’re not into it.”

                “It’s not…” Regina started, but Emma didn’t give her a chance to speak as she got red in the face, grabbed her clothes, and left before Regina could stop her.

                “Well this is bull shit,” Regina groaned frustrated. As she grabbed her phone and tried to call, or text Emma and she got no reply. She tried several more times to call Emma that night before she blew out the candles and gathered her own clothes. This was not how she envisioned her first time in forever ending. She was supposed to be warm and happy in Emma’s arms not alone and cold in bed. Regina was sure Emma was only focusing on what didn’t work instead of finding what did work. The first time she had been with Maleficent had been awkward at the start, but as she was taught, Maleficent’s body responded no different from her own, and Emma just needed to know what she liked that was all.  Regina tossed and turned all night even with her Evil Queen plushy.


	9. Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine

 

                “Emma, Regina has called again asking about you, why doesn’t she already know how you are doing?” Snow complained. “What is going on between you and Mother?”

                “She’s not your Mother,” Emma snapped. Snow frowned.

                “I know you’re going through something, but you don’t have to be mean, I just want to know why you won’t talk to Mother anymore,” Snow said sitting down. “On top of that I finally got her to agree to look at baby clothes with me even if we couldn’t buy yet. And she didn’t even try and fight me. I wanna wear her down, but not because you made her upset.” Emma gave a cry of distress.

                “Awesome I’m so awful I took the fight right out of her,” Emma grumbled.

                 “Ugh what are you on about serious!” Snow exclaimed. “If you don’t tell me I will go hound her and that won’t be good for anyone involved.” Emma grimaced again knowing Snow was playing on her need to protect, she was sure Regina would fireball her mother and she didn’t want that at all.

                “Oh my God fine!” Emma cried. Snow sat forward looking smug and satisfied at the same time.

                “Good, now tell me what’s wrong, maybe I can help,” Snow comforted as she held Emma’s hands in her own.

                “Okay, so after we had our fight last Sunday, I was really upset, but Regina got me to calm down and then she made a fire and we had wine and just relaxed and talked about everything, she made me forget about our stupid fight.”  Snow nodded. “So, then we had sex, I won’t go into detail, but let’s just say everything was great from her side, but when it was my turn, I couldn’t make her you know.” Snow’s eyes went dark and her cheeks reddened.

                “I’m so ashamed of you right now,” Snow whispered. Emma’s mouth fell open. “You still haven’t given her jewelry and after you touched her inappropriately before that. No wonder she is upset!”

                “No, she’s upset because I couldn’t make her have an…an…orgasm!” Emma cried out.

                “Emma, no woman has ever had one of those, they are so rare, trust me you need to propose to her after she gave herself to you.” Emma looked at her mother so confused.

                “You are going to fix this before you destroy this family,” Snow ordered. “Thank God it’s only Thursday, you still have time to pick her up a box of chocolates and flowers, and that necklace you were holding out on.” Emma honestly didn’t know what to say as she sat dumbfounded at her mother. This didn’t deter Snow however who invited herself, David, and Emma over for dinner knowing Regina would put up with it just to see Emma who had been avoiding her like the plague, going so far as to exit the police station if she heard her coming and holding up at the loft in-between that not even when she dropped Henry off at the door did she catch a glimpse of Emma. And Emma had to hand it to Regina for not showing up in front of her by magic after numerous phone calls that had only stopped last night. Henry didn’t seem to realize anything was amiss exactly just that she was spending more time with her parents this week. 

                “Emma go put one of those new nice shirts you got in New York,” Snow ordered. “And clean jeans for the love of God.” Emma did as she was told the look on Snow’s face told her if she tried to defy her right now, she’d make her regret it one way or another. David was home by the time she had showered and changed. He looked grumpy about dinner at Regina’s but got cleaned up and changed as well.

                “Are you sure this is for the best?” He asked Snow. “Emma has better options out there?”

                “Like who, she’s chosen to be gay?” Snow asked him as they sat in the bug. Emma had no idea when Snow had picked up the flowers, the chocolate, and the necklace which she thought was well hidden, but obviously that was not the case. 

                “I…I don’t know isn’t Ruby like demisexual was it you know she likes both?” David asked. Snow shrugged. Emma rubbed a hand over her face, she was sure David meant bisexual.

                “I don’t know, but she doesn’t make Emma smile like Mother does, and that has to count for something right?” Snow asked.  Emma couldn’t help but feel warm inside that Snow saw her happiness rather than her old hatred for Regina.  They pulled into the driveway and parked behind Regina’s Mercedes. As they got out Snow gave her the flowers, chocolate, and jewelry. Snow straightened her clothes before looking her over and nodding that her daughter was presentable.

                “Ugh did you even brush your hair for her?” Snow asked.

                “I did,” Emma grumbled. She couldn’t help it if her curls just liked to fly away rather than lay perfect. They walked up to the front door and knocked. Emma had almost just walked in, but decided she wasn’t that welcome anymore.

                “Emma why are you ringing the doorbell?” Henry asked.

                “Because…uh…it’s not just me kid.” He nodded and let them in.  Emma took her shoes off as Snow and David simply hung up their coats.  Henry happily took charge of her gifts so she could put her shoes away.

                “Shoes off please,” Emma told David and Mary Margaret.  Mary Margaret grudgingly left her heels and placed them near Emma’s. Emma took off her leather jacket too and hung it up in the usual spot. She took back the items and cleared her throat nervously.

                 “Where’s Mother?” Snow asked.

                “She had to run to the store for something, well poof,” Henry said leading them into the dining room just as Regina was appearing back in the kitchen with butter for her potatoes.

                “Oh, you’re already here,” Regina said. She smiled at them all, but really, she was just happy to see Emma. It was unfortunate the Charmings and Henry were around, because they really needed to have a talk.

                “Snow picked up some flowers and chocolate,” Emma told her indicating them.  Snow hit her hard.

                “No, those are from Emma,” Snow gritted out. Emma slipped the necklace into her pocket though. It wasn’t the right time; this wasn’t how she wanted to give it to Regina. “God you are so stubborn.”

                “Thank you Snow, they’re lovely,” Regina told her politely. She had Henry put them in a vase and the chocolates went ignored for once.  “Why don’t you all sit down, dinner will be ready in a matter of moments.” They nodded and took a seat with Henry asking Emma why she was acting weird especially when she tried to not take her usual seat to Regina’s left. Henry was always on her right. Regina gave a silent sigh before she finished her mashed potatoes spicing them and using condensed milk to help smooth it out.  She moved it to a serving bowl along with the baked broccoli. She put them on the table for bringing in the roast chicken, she could already see Emma salivating even if she looked miserable. She also brought out a red wine sauce for the chicken and a cheese sauce Henry loved on his broccoli or chicken.

                “Oh, this looks so good mom,” Henry said bouncing.

                “Really looks good Regina,” Emma told her. Snow and David agreed as she served wine, and non-alcoholic cider for Henry. Soon they had the chicken carved up and sides served. But aside from Henry talking to all of them, it was silent, because no one knew what to say. Regina could just see Snow glaring at Emma from across the table, because obviously she wanted her to do something, no doubt make up with her.

                “I can’t take it anymore,” Snow pouted like a child not getting her way.

                “Take what Snow, is the food not to your liking?” Regina asked.

                “No, the food is wonderful Mother, my daughter however is not,” Snow said. “I had thought we’d be witnessing a marriage proposal tonight, but instead she’s still being unrealistic about orgasms.” Everyone paused in eating.

                “Henry dear could you please excuse yourself from this adult conversation. You can take your plate and drink. It will refill until you’re done.  Put some headphones on.” Henry nodded and carefully took his stuff to the den. Any thoughts he had about eavesdropping were thwarted by his mother.

                “Snow please,” Emma said.

                “What do you mean about being unrealistic about orgasms?” Regina asked.

                “Well she thinks you should have had one, and I have tried explaining to her that women very rarely get them.” Snow threw her hands up in exasperation.

                “Wait so are you saying in all your true love you’ve never had one?” Regina asked sitting back as if someone had just spilled some major tea.

                “Of course not, and neither have you, I tried explaining that to her, women just don’t get them.”

                “Oh my God, that is what she meant earlier,” Emma said head in her hands.

                “But you David I assume you got your orgasm,” Regina said just to be sure. He shrugged.

                “It is not rare for men, we need to get the woman pregnant,” David said.

                “Wow,” Regina said. She just sat for a moment basking in her next words.

                “So, will you please tell Emma it’s okay?” Snow asked Regina.

                “No, Snow there’s something I need to tell you,” Regina told her.  Snow looked at her confused. “Women don’t rarely get orgasms I don’t know who told you that, but that is a complete lie. Even with your oh so lovely father, I had an involuntary one once only because I was super sensitive from already having multiple orgasms and the timing just unfortunately ran together. So, the reason you haven’t had an orgasm is because Charming here sucks in bed.”

                “Great, that’s where I get it from,” Emma grumbled. “Whole family can’t even please a woman.”

                “Now, I can move on to you,” Regina said. She huffed. “I had hoped to have this conversation in private, but you just don’t know what I like yet, that is all. I wanted to tell you how I prefer things, not kick you out. It was a momentary setback not a lifetime setback. I still like you and I still want to have sex with you, if you want. We will not be your parents I assure you.”  

                “Really?” Emma asked.

                “Really, and I have been trying to tell you that since you left without talking to me.”

                “Wait, what do you mean you had multiple orgasms that is impossible, Blue told me so,” Snow told her.

                “I mean that they happened, I expect them, they aren’t rare, Blue lied to you, what the hell does she know. She forces all fairies to be celibate including herself. She only gets babies through wishes. You probably aren’t having sex long enough and are very limited in what you do.”

                “Regina there’s only one way to have sex,” David told her.

                “That’s sad you think that, but not surprising shepherd. So, allow me to be the best Mother ever and present you with a belated wedding present.” Regina waved her hand and a book about sex appeared on the table. “Now go home and be good children and give that a study.” She waved her hand again and they disappeared.  She turned back to Emma who was stunned.

                “Wow, I’ve never felt so sorry for someone in my life,” Emma said. “Oh my God, she would have told me that as a child, I could be just as deprived!”

                “Thankfully not dear,” Regina said. “Now are you going to stop avoiding me, I’ve missed you all week.” Emma nodded.

                “Me too, I’m sorry, I just freaked out, I’ve never been with anyone where I wasn’t pleasing.”

                “You were pleasing, it was just for me some things are different, like I need to build up to how intense you were on my breasts. And I need clitoral contact, just fucking me with your fingers wasn’t going to do it, also that’s nice for teasing, but if you’re going to fuck me it can’t be with your fingers.”

                “So, a strap on?” Emma asked blushing hard.

                “No, I have magic dear, I would give you something a little more substantial,” Regina replied. Emma’s eyes went wide. “Which reminds me I ought to buy condoms.”

                “Oh, so you aren’t barren, and holy fuck I could get you pregnant!” Regina frowned she shouldn’t have said anything out loud.

                “Finish your dinner, darling,” Regina ordered as she stood up and took off the spell and Henry brought his plate back in.

                “Where’s Grandma and Grandpa, did you kill them?” Henry asked nervously.

                “They went home,” Regina told him. He nodded and Regina took his plate.  She disposed of the bones but let him take any unused chicken meat outside to feed to some stray cats.

                “Uh you guys have a lot of strays,” Emma murmured.

                “They keep rats out of my garden,” Regina told her. “We appreciate our cats.”  Emma helped them clean up in the kitchen.

                “I uh wanted to give you this,” Emma said clearing her throat when they were all settling down to watch a movie.  Regina looked surprised as Emma gave her a blue velvet box.  “I bought this before the curse broke. I don’t know I just saw it and thought of you and I had to buy it. I just never had the courage to give it to you.”  Regina took it and opened the box with Henry practically climbing on her to see.

                “Ha that’s so mom!” He laughed. Regina chuckled too as she smiled at Emma.

                “I love it,” Regina told her giving her a kiss before she took out the necklace and handed it to Emma to put around her neck. It was a simple little crown with Sass Queen written on there and a dark red jewel. Regina was sure none of it was real, but just the fact that Emma was thinking about her made all the difference. Emma was smiling super big as well.

                “I’m thinking about getting another that says Sass Prince, so you two have matching.”

                “Oh yes, please!” Henry exclaimed.

                “Done kid!” Emma told him.

                “Are you two done fighting now?” Henry asked tentatively as he looked between them.

                “We weren’t fighting love, we just had a misunderstanding because your other mother likes to run from things, but she’s going to stop running if she wants this relationship, right?”

                “Right, I’m sorry, I do need to learn to talk, and you have my promise that even if I need some time, because I can’t promise I won’t need to clear my head on some things that I will talk to you.”

                “That’s all I can ask for,” Regina told her as they had a family hug. “Now what movie do you want to watch my little Prince?”

                “Oh, mom when will I be your big prince?” Henry whined but Emma could see he still loved the term of endearment.

                “Never, you will always be my little prince, even when your thirty and you can do all those things you’re waiting for.” She tickled and kissed him and they both laughed. And he tried to tickle her back, but she was able to fend him off, but she didn’t fend off his kisses. Emma couldn’t help but take pictures, one thing she had noticed the other night, was that Regina didn’t have nearly enough pictures of herself and Henry.  And she was determined to start documenting their life together.

 

 

                “Emma, darling wake up it’s time for exercise,” Regina told her kissing her awake. Emma grunted and grumbled but dressed in her shorts and jacket already. She was half asleep through their warmup but began to wake up for their run. She was grateful it was a weekday and no course. She was so not ready for the course again; she had certainly been working the last few weekends to avoid it.  After the twelve-mile run, and a shorter work out in the park, they returned home. Emma was so exhausted she fell asleep right after her shower when she just meant to rest her eyes for a second.

                “Yeah, she’ll be just fine, David, she hasn’t taken a day off in a few weeks. I think she just needs to rest,” Regina said. “No, don’t worry Snow, she’s got so much to do with a baby coming.”  Regina rolled her eyes and hung up.  She picked up a glass of orange juice, and a plate of eggs over easy topped onto toast with melted cheese and bacon. Emma needed a quick breakfast and something to keep her energy up for Regina’s plans. Emma wasn’t sick, but she did need to relax, and Regina had just the thing. She went upstairs and gently set the items on the bedside table before she kissed Emma awake.

                “Oh, shit sorry baby, I’ll come down for breakfast,” Emma groaned realizing she must have fallen asleep.

                “No worries, I brought it up for you,” Regina said as she sat up. Emma sat up as well in her towel. Emma ate slowly with her eyes closed. Regina conjured up a coffee when she had finished her orange juice the way she liked it only then did her eyes start to open and she noticed the time.

                “Oh, shit Regina, why didn’t you say it was nine already, I should have been at work an hour ago!” Emma cried as she chugged the rest of her coffee and started to look for her clothes. Regina sighed.

                 “Emma, don’t you think I would have told you if you were late?” Regina pointed out as she sat back calmly crossing her legs and waiting for Emma to notice the lingerie she was wearing.

                “Uh…not if you wanted me to eat properly,” Emma told her. “Matter of fact, why are you not at work already?” Emma finally looked at her and what she was wearing. “Holy shit….” Emma’s mouth went dry and suddenly she was thirsty, and work wasn’t looking so important anymore.

                “I called you in sick, you seemed like you needed some time to relax I don’t know,” Regina shrugged. “But I’m sure you could call your father back if you like and let him know your fine. Unless you do want to relax?”

                “Uh huh and you and your infinite wisdom are staying home to care for me?” Emma asked her.

                “That I am Ms. Swan,” Regina told her. “It’s what any good girlfriend would do.”

                “And how did you plan on taking care of me exactly?” Emma asked.

                “Well Ms. Swan, you’ll just have to get back into bed to find that out, we only have until five, I made sure Henry was more than able to join Caleb and friends at the Arcade until closing.” Emma’s eyes lit up before she bit her lip.

                “But what if I can’t….” She trailed off.

                “Don’t think about that darling, I’ve got all day to be a good teacher and for you to learn to be a good student. Now lesson number one approach your Queen ready to be ravished, darling.” Emma grinned and did approach the bed.

                “Lesson Two?” Emma asked.

                “Never forget to kiss your Queen,” Regina informed her. Emma wasted no time as they kissed softly at first and then Emma deepened the kiss as she felt her own arousal rising and warming her core. She was practically straddling Regina and close to grinding as she remembered the mind-blowing orgasm, she had given her last time. Regina pulled back when she felt her own arousal rising.

                “Lesson number three, Foreplay, let’s see if we can build up on intensity, we have all the time in the world no need to rush today.” Emma grinned and nodded. “Why don’t we start with the stuff you do really well like my neck.” Emma nodded and wasted no time in kissing her neck and grazing her teeth over skin. Regina made sure to very vocal about the fact that she liked it.

                “Lesson number four,” She moaned and moved Emma’s hands over her body letting her know she liked her to squeeze her ass, squeeze her breasts all in a firm manner. It all made her skin heat up as if it were on fire.

                “I take it lesson five is the nipple?” Emma asked kissing down and pulling down the bra cup.

                “Very eager dear, I like that in my students, but yes, Lesson five is the nipple start off super softly and we shall increase as we go, I will let you know when I hit my perfect starting point. Emma did as she was told first with her hands and then with her mouth. Regina repeated the exercise until the panties of her lingerie was soaked, and the bra tossed to the floor.  And she made sure to moan very loudly for Emma to let her know she was on the right track.

                “Lesson number six!” Emma exclaimed as she got ahead of herself and pushed two fingers inside of Regina. “God you’re so fucking wet.”

                “Uh…no, no not lesson number six, I was hoping that would be your oral exam,” Regina told her. Emma looked dejected. “Oh well gee thanks.” Emma seemed to realize the way she was making it look.

                “Oh no Regi, look it’s not that I don’t want too, I just don’t like too because I can’t see you, I like to watch your face this first time that’s all. I need it in my memory for the first time I go down on you. I wanna see in my head what I am doing to you.”  Regina nodded. She could understand that being a turn on to watch your partner come. She had certainly loved to watch Maleficent.

                 “All right well we have to do this differently, because fingers are just rather too small for my needs,” Regina told her.  Emma nodded.

                “Right you mentioned that thing, but um…. I kind of am not ready for that magic and I don’t have condoms.”

                “Do you have a strap-on in mind?” Regina asked her. Emma nodded blushing.  Regina managed to pull the image from her head and shape it into something real around Emma’s waist. “So, I suppose lesson number six is giving my clit some attention before you get started.” Emma nodded as she kissed Regina and stroked her clit indirectly.

                “I like more direct contact especially towards the tip,” Regina corrected. Emma nodded and changed the way she did things. She was excited and almost got a little overzealous to hear Regina moan.

“Slow and steady wins the race, Ms. Swan,” Regina reminded her just in time or she would have ruined a perfectly good orgasm. Emma’s eyes lit up in pleasure and need as Regina came in front her. This time it was subtle, but she hoped next time it was epic. She took control now gently pushing the dildo into Regina.

“Um…can you please just check in with me before you push fingers, dildo, or your magic dick in?” Regina asked trying not to think of how Leopold always just shoved himself in without asking and it left her feeling some kind of way about it.

“Yes, of course, I’m sorry, I didn’t think,” Emma said remembering how Regina was always checking in with her, she should do the same. “Is it still all right, sh…should I pull out or….”

“You should pull out,” Regina told her honestly.  Emma pulled out and the strap on disappeared. “We can try that again later, but I think I should show my appreciation to how well you did today on your lessons.”

“What I didn’t check in and you barely came, I should fail today.”

“Barely coming in your opinion when I had a perfectly nice orgasm is better than no orgasm.”

“Well when you put it like that,” Emma pouted. “But I still didn’t check in.”

“No, you didn’t, but I also know we didn’t talk about certain stuff yet and in your mind it’s not as important to check in as it is for me. What is important to me right now is your response. You are not upset with me, but rather yourself for not asking. On top of that you did what I asked, and this is the real important bit here, and that is you stopped.” Emma gave her a smile, but she was sad inside thinking about her grandfather who probably never stopped. 

“Of course, I did, I never want to hurt you.”

“I know, so now can I please show my appreciation, I knew you wouldn’t go first again this time anyway, and it’s all I’ve been wanting since I realized we could have a free day.” Emma chuckled.

“Look at you fake calling in sick for your worker.” Regina chuckled they kissed and caressed until Emma was grinding against her and begging her to put her tongue inside of her.

“Fuck Regi you are insane in bed,” Emma breathed out two hours later.

“You should have just gone down on me the first time, your tongue just hit all the right spots,” Regina told her. “Like A plus, plus.” Emma chuckled. She already couldn’t wait to make Regina moan loudly again and not just to reinforce what she was doing right, but because it truly felt that good and everything was right.

“I never understood A plus, plus,” Emma said.

“Me either, you can only gather so many points right, it’s not as if you can gather more than the one hundred points.” They chuckled together. Regina rolled over eager to touch Emma again.

“You’re insatiable and I like it just to be clear.”  Regina evil chuckled in Emma’s opinion.  They were kissing when the doorbell rang.

“Son of a bitch, I bet you one orgasm that David told Snow you were sick,” Regina grumbled. Emma groaned. “You go deal with her, she’s your mother.” Emma made a face but grabbed her pajama pants and tank top. Regina contemplated if she could potentially convince Emma of trying the magic dick rather than the strap on, she knew the material would just not compare and they deserved some mutual pleasure. Regina just got wet thinking about Emma inside of her.

“Down girl, we need to use condoms, you and Maleficent got lucky,” Regina told herself. “Or rather not so lucky.”  She frowned and ran a hand absently over her belly. She pulled back when she heard Emma coming back up. Emma looked annoyed.

“She’s not leaving. She brought soup for me, but her intentions are to see you, she’s got ideas for the baby or whatever she wants to discuss with you.” Regina rolled her eyes.

“Why didn’t you tell her I popped into the office?”

“She went there first, and Carol said you weren’t in,” Emma replied. Regina pouted as she grudgingly put a pair of panties on and a bra. Emma did the same under her pajamas. Regina fixed her makeup and put on the dress she had planned on wearing before an opportunity arose. She brushed her hair until she was immaculate.

“There you are Mother, I brought over stuff to decide for the nursery,” Snow said happily.

“Nursery, where will you build the nursery?” Emma asked thinking there was no space in the loft.

“What do you mean, upstairs silly or maybe David and I shift upstairs and put the baby downstairs, closer to the kitchen for bottles and stuff.” Snow looked thoughtful trying to think of the logistics.

“And what I’m just supposed to sleep on the couch and Henry?” Emma asked.

“Emma, why are you being like this, you have this big beautiful house, the only thing not over here is your clothes, how could you act like we’re replacing you?” Snow asked upset. Regina had to laugh at both.

“I both love and hate this assumption thing you two have got going on, but uh Emma stays here, but hasn’t officially been asked to live here.”

“I don’t understand, she gave you Jewelry, you are to be married, and she has a key to the house,” Snow said.

“First of all, this is not engagement jewelry just to put that out there. Secondly, Henry gave her that key before we were even slightly friends. I’ve just started authorizing it’s use. Third there has been no proposal.”

“Why not?” Snow asked but she was looking at Emma now quite upset.

“Snow it’s been like I don’t know three months.”

                “Four months Emma it’s been four months, oh dear God can you not even remember your anniversary?” Snow asked. Emma blushed as she counted it was closer to four months than three months. “And that is more than enough time to propose marriage.”

                “No, no it’s not,” Emma cried.

                “Gosh you are just so stubborn, I truly am sorry for her behavior Mother,” Snow told Regina. Regina looked extremely amused as Emma glared a little at them both. “I suppose we could decorate one wall of our space, so the baby has a “nursery” even though his or her sister never even sleeps at home anymore. Maybe we can make a drawer it’s crib to save space.”

“That’s not true, you just bitched at me last week to sleep at home. If I give the baby my room, where do you want me to sleep?” Emma asked. “And Henry?”

“We were going to buy a new couch so you could stay over if you liked to spend more time with the baby, and put a single in the bedroom that Henry could use once the baby was sleeping through the night, but mostly the pull out couch as well.”

“All right, all right fine, I will look for an apartment good grief,” Emma grumbled as she headed for the kitchen.

“Honey can you make tea?” Regina asked. Emma waved to her to indicate she would, and she had heard.

“Oh, yay now, what do you think bottom floor or top floor?” Snow asked.

“Bottom, your stairs aren’t toddler friendly for when they start climbing out of their crib, and they’re often moving half asleep at night when scared, and when you are out of diapers it is too far from the bathroom in the dark which means more accidents even if they wake up and think about going to the bathroom.” 

“Oh gosh of course you’re right, the loft will be so big and scary to them.” Regina nodded. Emma brought back pop tarts for herself and tea for Regina and Snow.

“Thank you, darling,” Regina said. “And I think you can do better than that for lunch.”

“But baby I’m sick, I want comfort food,” Emma whined. Regina’s eyes called bullshit, but she was also amused.

“Yes, Emma, eat the soup, you’ll just upset your stomach,” Snow scolded. She took the pop tarts from Emma who protested and brought her a bowl of soup instead. Emma looked pleasantly surprised when it didn’t kill her.

“You made this?” Emma asked.

“No, your father of course told me too late I had to get you canned, I didn’t think Regina would have time to cook with taking care of you.” Regina bit her lip as she tried so hard not to laugh at all of it particularly the relief on Emma’s face.

“Now the nursery, we’re pretty sure it’s a boy so sports, boats, trains, or knights,” Snow started.

“How about unicorns like you got me,” Emma said.

“Emma no, we want at least one child to be straight, so we actually know what to expect like them proposing marriage on time,” Snow told her. Emma started to open her mouth, but she had no comeback. She wasn’t even sure if it was a direct hit at her sexuality that Snow didn’t approve of or Snow just saw an opportunity to burn her over the marriage proposal and did it. Regina for her part burst out laughing.

“Okay, okay how about this, you’ve not said a word about Regina not proposing to me,” Emma pointed out.

“Well of course not Emma, she’s the woman in this relationship,” Snow told her. “You’re the man, men propose simple as that.” Regina started crying laughing now, she liked to think that they both held masculine and feminine qualities in the relationship. “Also, if I remember correctly you were the one getting all the orgasms like men.” Snow sounded a little bitter about that, so that had to mean her, and David had read the book. Even so the tears in Regina’s eyes started anew.

“I…I…I…” Emma was at a loss for words.

“No, don’t speak you can’t sway me, I just need to make sure that this one is straight if this how you are going to behave.”

“Oh my, I’m just so happy to have witnessed this conversation,” Regina told them as she wiped her eyes. “I never thought it would be so funny.”  She laughed some more before she stood up to go get her own lunch. She came back with a salad which she fed some to Emma in between bites of soup to her annoyance.  Snow took up the rest of their afternoon with her plans to their annoyance and Henry came home early.

“Mom?”

“In here honey,” Regina called from the kitchen.  Emma was sitting at the counter while Regina tried to decide what to make for dinner.

“Hey kid, what’s wrong?” Emma asked.

“Caleb,” He sighed as he took a seat. Regina turned around and kissed his head in greeting.

“What happened with Caleb you two were getting along so well,” Regina reminded him. He nodded.

“We were, can I curse?” Henry asked.

“I’ll give you a pass because this sounds like heartache.” Henry nodded. Emma looked surprised.

“He gets cursing passes?” Emma asked

“For special circumstances, concerts with music that has cursing, and fishing or hunting,” Regina said. “Now Henry you were saying.”

“Yeah, so we’re all at the arcade and who walks in?” Henry asked.  “Charlie fucking Buckle, lives with the little old woman in the shoe house.” They nodded.

“Yeah, well bad boy Charlie walks in and proclaims his fucking love for Caleb, can you fucking believe this shit?”

“No, are you serious?” Regina asked him. Henry nodded.

“And he’s such a stupid fuck, he’s been held back like five times!” Henry cried. “I’m smart, I’m cute, I have bad ass moms, what more could he want?”

“Age, he’s got age on you honey,” Regina pointed out.

“Damn it,” Henry sighed as he hit his head on the counter. Emma put her hand in the way. “Emma what’s the appeal you’re like drooling over mom and she’s a bad ass.” Emma glared.

“I like to think I’m a bad ass too you know,” Emma huffed. “Your mom drools.”

“Not like you drool,” Henry said. Emma huffed again as Regina laughed.

“Emma’s a bad ass in her own way, there are different types, perks of being the ultimate Hero I guess, trust me even the right bad boy would have you drooling over him. You’re just upset Charlie took Caleb your current crush. But there is still time to take him back.”

“What throw money at him like he’s some whore?” Henry asked.

“Well I don’t know if you need to throw it,” Regina said. “Anyway, money isn’t important, nor does it buy you love.”

“Nor can you really offer money, you forget we give you your allowance, money to a foster kid is important so throwing it around would be seen as irresponsible.”

“Great, that probably set me back today, why did you give me so much?” He looked at Regina who was suddenly busy looking in the refrigerator again. “Mom, really?”

“Really,” Regina told him. He huffed.

“You have to help me, what should I do?” Henry asked.

                “Proclaim your love and hope he actually likes you more than Charlie,” Regina said. “I mean honesty is best, you’re too young to be playing games.” 

                “Yeah kid, honesty is best, look where it got me,” Emma said pointing to Regina.

                “Look where it got us,” Regina corrected. “We’re a happy little family now.”

                “Hmm…you’re right, but speaking of family, we always talked about me getting a sister,” Henry grinned at Regina.

                “Oh, my look at you bringing up old arguments,” Regina told him as she came around and poked him a little. He laughed as she tickled him as well. Emma smiled at them and made sure to snap some photos of the two. Only Emma’s stomach growling brought them from their fun.

                “Hmm…since you had a crap day, how about we go to Granny’s and you can have a milkshake to feel better.” Henry nodded happily.  “And we also need to celebrate.”

                “Celebrate, this is a sad dinner we’re wallowing,” Henry pouted.

                “Nope, we’re also celebrating, because Snow nagged Emma into moving out because she thought she already was living here, and we both know she’s never going to find another apartment.”

                “Hey, I could!” Emma exclaimed. They both looked at her laughed.

                “But what’s the point, such a waste of money, you will stay here anyway, we will never go there,” Henry said. Emma looked like she wanted to argue, but they all knew.

                “We’ll pack up your stuff tonight, I’m pretty sure there’s only your old jeans over there, because your new clothes ended up in my closet.” Emma blushed knowing it was true.

                “All right, all right you don’t have to beg me to move in guys, if you really want me, I will stay.” They chuckled.

                “I really want you to stay,” Regina told her kissing her cheek. “Now go get dressed your stomach yells any louder mine will start to yell back on principle.” They laughed and Henry gave her a hug before they waited for Emma to change and they headed out walking towards Granny’s since they’d been inside all day.

                “Ah Ms. Swan just the woman I wanted to see,” Gold said just as they arrived on main street.

                “What do you want Gold?” Regina asked him annoyed as she pulled Henry close, she really didn’t trust the imp since he brought back magic.

                “Stay out of this Madam Mayor perhaps you and the boy should move along,” Gold told her.

                “No, whatever you have to say to me you can say in front of Regina, I don’t trust you,” Emma said.  Gold glared.

                “Very well, I believe you owe me a favor in exchange for my making the deal between Ashley Boyd and I null and void.”

                “What,” Regina said. “Emma how could you be so stupid?”

                “It was before the curse, before I believed all right,” Emma snapped.

                “We’ll talk about this later, what is the favor you want from Emma?” Regina asked knowing she’d help her anyway she could.

                “I want Ms. Swan to do what she does best and find my son, he is here in this world.”

                “How can you be sure?”  Regina asked. “There’s no spell to track people across realms.”

                “No, but when he used the magic bean, I know that’s where he intended for us to head,” Gold told her. “So that is why I modified this curse to bring us here.”

                “How do you even know he is still even alive?” Emma asked knowing Gold was old, but she didn’t know how old.

                “A father just knows in his heart, even so the tracking spell I’m using will tell us where he is in this world dead or alive.”

                “Fine I will find him when we go on vacation,” Emma sighed.

                “Vacation, what vacation are we finally going to Boston?” Henry asked.

                “I will go with you Ms. Swan,” Gold told her. “You will take me to my son.”

                “You can’t leave, no one else can, you’ll be cursed like Belle was,” Regina pointed out.

                “I’ve been working on a potion for that,” He said.

                “Sweet God, you better hope this doesn’t take up too much of my vacation,” Emma told him. “And your son can get you back home.” He shrugged. Emma walked off and Regina followed with Henry. They quietly argued about her trusting Gold and Regina wondering why she decided then was the moment to ignore her bullshit detector.

                “Look I’m going to get him an address, drop his ass off and then we’re free to have our fun all right?” Regina nodded.

                “Not really worried about if we have fun, just if something will go wrong,” Regina pointed out. Emma nodded.

                “I understand, but he could have asked for worse things.” Regina nodded.

                “So, are you going to tell me where we’re going?” Henry asked grinning.  They smiled at him and chuckled.

                “We’re going to take a road trip to Boston, but that’s all you get kid, the rest is an utter surprise,” Emma told him.

                “Awww come on, I don’t wanna be surprised like mom, tell me now,” He pleaded. They shook their head and told him he’d just have to wait until they were on their fun filled summer vacation. Ruby came over and took their orders. Regina ordering fish, a salad, and some soup. Henry his usual burger, fries and milkshake and Emma doing her usual as well. Regina made sure they both had a side salad to their dismay.

                “All I am going to say Ms. Swan is he used to eat all his vegetables with a smile and no complaints.” Emma chuckled

                “I think that only counts when it’s your vegetables Regina,” Emma laughed.

                “Hey what are you trying to say?” Granny asked passing by.  Regina and Henry laughed as Emma tried to back pedal. “I’ll have you know the boy loved my vegetables before you arrived, hmph!” Emma shook her head.

                “How do I end up being scolded by everyone?” Emma asked them.

                “It’s definitely that mouth of yours,” Ruby quipped as she brought their food before she took a seat next to Henry.

                “Thanks Ruby,” Emma grumbled. “Anyway, what’s up?”

                “Not much, just Snow hounding me about hounding you for not proposing, but I sat to chat with my favorite mayor not you.” Emma looked mock offended.

                “I’m your only mayor,” Regina pointed out. Ruby chuckled.

                “And yet still my favorite all the same, anyway I was out on my run when I saw a course out in the woods, wondered if you knew anything about it. I wanted to use it, it looked sturdy, but I wasn’t sure.”

                “Course, what course?” Regina asked.

                “I think you know, but if you don’t then you won’t mind if I start making changes to make sure it’s not rotting or anything. I think I’ll start Saturday really early.” Regina huffed.

                “All right Pup, I’ll grant you membership into our work out, just don’t touch anything, you’ll cause an accident.” Ruby grinned.

                “Yes, finally I’m going to get a smoking hot body, don’t think I missed those muscles on you Emma.”

                “Trust me it’s not fun,” Emma told her.

                “Five am, pup meet us at the trail and don’t tell anyone, it’s our private time.” Ruby saluted her and left.

                “Can I come too, I gotta get in shape, stupid Charlie has a muscle.” Regina and Emma laughed.

                “Just one kid?” Emma asked. He nodded. 

                “Mom’s smoking hot, and that’s what attracted to you, but if I can get more muscles than Charlie, well Caleb will look at me like I’m a bad boy.”

                 “Right we’ll get you a little leather jacket too,” Emma snickered.

                “Well if you keep eating like this, you won’t grow anything,” Regina pointed out. “You don’t eat nearly as many vegetables as you used too.”

                “I’ll be better again,” Henry told her. She nodded. 

                “Regina we can’t take the kid, he’ll die on that course,” Emma told her.

                “He’ll be fine,” Regina said waving her off.

 

 

 

 

 

                “Thanks a lot kid,” Emma grumbled as they ran the twelve miles. Ruby of course was keeping up, and even Henry was keeping up better than her.  He couldn’t pull himself up the rope but went on Regina’s back before he did the monkey bars on his own. Emma was just glad that Regina was assured she had the strength now for the monkey bars and let her go by herself. They moved faster, but not fast enough for Carol. Ruby fell but there was a net to catch her. Emma saw her safe and sound on the ground when she more fell her way down the rope then anything, but Jack caught her. They finished the course with Regina letting Emma and Henry go ahead on jumping from tree to tree without practice.

                “Are you two racing?” Emma asked out of breath as Henry and Regina were giggling at one another.

                “Always,” They said.

                “Oh, I see the park, I’m going to win Henry,” Regina told him.

                “No, I am,” He cried and sped up at a dead run. Regina sped up too. They were both lying on the grass breathing hard and laughing by the time Emma got there.

                “Who won?” Emma asked falling beside them.

                 “We tied,” Regina told her.

                “I won,” Henry insisted.

                “How come Henry keeps up better than me, he never exercises,” Emma whined.

                “He’s a kid, endless energy, but also he used to run with me, I’m glad he’s not too out of shape.” Regina sat up and made them both drink some water. When the exercises started, Emma noted that during squats it was Henry’s job to jump from a line onto Regina’s back and she would squat. Every exercise was retailored to use him as a weight, but also keep him active.

                “Oh my God, I feel the burn, my abs are going to look so good,” Ruby cried as they took a break. “I can’t wait, thank you Regina.”

                “You’re welcome unless you tell Snow,” Regina told her. Ruby shook her head.

                “No, way she’ll take it all wrong,” Ruby said.

                “Ruby you’re with me,” Carol said. Regina gave hand wraps to Emma and Henry.

                “Come on, martial arts time, Henry do you remember your proper stance?” She asked as she watched him wrap his hands and showed Emma.

                “Yep,” He said bouncing around. She checked his hands before she picked up some padded gloves.

                “Good then why don’t you tell Emma the proper way to stand.” Henry nodded and eagerly showed Emma how to stand correctly, form a fist so as not to cause injury. She smiled at them playing around and learning once they were done with the tutorial, she had Emma throw a few punches.  And then a few low kicks.

                “Okay good, I think you’ve got it. So, both of you, I want a combination of jab, jab, duck, kick. Emma you with the lower kick and Henry I know you can kick higher so to my waist.” He nodded. “We’ll start with Henry and then Emma I’m coming for you.” Emma nodded. Henry went first. “Harder next time Henry.” Regina turned to Emma; she wasn’t ready for her. “Emma pay attention!” She hit her in the head. Emma didn’t duck fast enough and was also hit. She went back to Henry, he thought she would swipe at him with the same arm and still got hit. She pulled the switch on Emma, but she was ready that time.

                “You know what you’re being so hard on us let’s see you do it,” Emma said. “Give me the gloves.”

                “Pads, and Emma, I hit too hard,” Regina told her.

                “No, no give it to me, see if you can do better.” Regina shrugged and switched with her. She punched and Emma started crying and holding her arm.

                “What the fuck are you like the female hulk!” Emma cried.

                “I don’t think it was all that serious dear, I told you I would punch too hard,” Regina told her sternly.

                “She did Emma, maybe next time you’ll listen,” Henry told her.

                “Never!” Emma cried. “I will be right one day.” They laughed. Regina rubbed her arm for her but eventually sparred with someone who could take her hits.

                “Are you coming tonight?” Jack asked Regina.

                “Coming to what?” Ruby asked popping up with Emma.

                “Don’t tell me you guys are planning yet another workout session.” Regina and Jack laughed at the look of horror on her face.

                “No, no, and yeah I will attend tonight, and bring Emma.” Ruby gave her puppy dog eyes.  Regina sighed. “I suppose the pup too.”

                “She’s good people we don’t mind,” Jack laughed. Ruby smiled at him.

                “Great, well see you later, just have to find a babysitter for Henry, no way Kathryn is missing out.”

                “PARTY AT THE QUEEN’S SHE’S GETTING A BABYSITTER!” Jack yelled.

                 “No, no!” Regina yelled out. “Don’t you show up at my house again, the mess was awful last time.” Emma out right laughed as they all plugged their ears and pretended not to hear her protests.

                “Can’t disobey a direct order if I can’t hear you,” Jack smirked. Regina glared at him and lit a fireball. He dodged a few as he left the park amid laughter.

                “I can’t believe they’re laughing when you could have killed him,” Ruby said. Regina waved her off.

                 “No, if I wanted to, I could have hit him, he’s lucky I chose not to,” Regina told her. “See you at nine tonight I guess since those jerks will all show up.”

                “So late?” Ruby asked.

                “Yes, we’ll be up all night, you should probably take a nap,” Regina told her before heading home.

                “Can’t I stay for the party please?” Henry asked pouting.

                “No, Henry I don’t want you around a bunch of adults that are drinking, talk to me again when you’re thirty,” Regina told him. Henry groaned. 

                “Oh no not thirty,” He cried. Emma had to laugh at her son. “That’s so old.”

                “Kid, what the hell I’m thirty next year, I’m not that old,” Emma told him. “And Regina is like what sixty if you think I am old she must be ancient.”

                “That’s so cute you think of me as the older one,” Regina laughed. Emma stopped walking.

                “Okay seriously I have had it up to here with your cryptic talk.” Emma raised her hand above her head and looked at Regina sternly.

                “Whatever do you mean dear?” Regina asked.

                “How old are you truly, like where did you pause?” Emma asked.

                “Ooh look my favorite song is on,” Regina said putting her headphones in and started singing I want it that way by the Backstreet Boys.  Henry laughed and joined her as they walked home.

                “Regina this isn’t funny.”

                “Tell me why,” Regina sang.

                “Ain’t nothing but a mistake,” Henry sang.

                “Tell me why, I never wanna hear you say,” Regina sang.

                “I want your age,” Henry sang. They both laughed hard then as Emma rolled her eyes and smiled at her family.

                 “I seriously can’t even with you guys today,” Emma told them. They kept singing and changing the words.

                “Tell me why you’ll never hear me say, what is my age,” They sang.

                “Cause I won’t tell you my age,” Regina sang as they got to the door.

                “I hate you two,” Emma said. “Seriously what is your age?”

                “I’m young that’s all you need to know,” Regina said cryptically.

                “Are you going to get old any time soon?” Emma asked. Regina was silent as she thought about if she should answer that. 

                “No probably not at least physically,” Regina replied. “I mean, I’m not one hundred percent sure, but so far it seems to be holding true.”

                “What did you do?” Henry asked.

                “Let’s just say I was being an Evil Queen with Maleficent and accidentally acquired eternal youth,” Regina told him. 

                “Wow,” Emma said. “No like seriously just be honest with me, are you really younger than me?” 

                  “Emma it’s not important really,” Regina told her. Emma frowned and went to the phone. Henry and Regina looked at her to figure out who it was she was calling.

                “Hi Snow, quick question how old will you be turning this year, I wanted to know how big a party it should be because you know thirty is like a big year here.” Emma was silent as she glared at Regina, who was frowning, she hadn’t thought about Snow. But then she watched Emma’s face turn to one of horror. “Okay, okay I’m sorry you’re right every party should be a big one, and no I wouldn’t dare suggest that you were three decades old when you obviously look so young and are on your second child.” When Emma hung up Regina was smirking.

                “Oops probably should have told you your mother is sensitive about her age,” Regina told her. 

                “You are a little shit!” Emma cried and chased Regina around the house determined to tickle her. 

                “Come on Henry I’ll buy you a milkshake if you help me tickle your mom!”

                “Sorry Mom!” Henry yelled as he joined the chase.

“Henry you traitor!” Regina cried as she was caught. They laughed and fell into a pile in the living room and tickled Regina.

                “All right, all right mercy, the Queen begs for mercy,” Regina cried.

                “Tell your age and I’ll let you go,” Emma told her.

                “Ugh fine, eighteen gees,” Regina told her.

                “Eighteen as it was just your eighteenth birthday or Eighteen as that was when you stopped.”

                “Um…which answer would you prefer?” Regina asked.

                “Wait how come you always say thirty and you’re not thirty!” Henry cried. “You’re only eight years older!”

                “You’re still my child, and moms set the rules,” Regina told him pinching his cheeks.

                “Aww,” Henry groaned.

                “Wait so Snow and David are like fifteen?” Emma asked.

                “No, David is definitely late twenties,” Regina told him. “And Snow is sixteen now technically,” Regina told her.

                “What the fuck,” Emma said pulling back. “This family is so screwed up.” Regina nodded. “Oh my God, how do people not question your wealth or how did you adopt Henry!”

                “Inheritance, and you can adopt at eighteen, you just can’t be a foster parent,” Regina told her. “I can do everything except legally drink outside of this town and rent a car.”

                “Oh my God, I could have gone to jail!” Emma cried at her.  Regina scoffed.

                “I would have bailed you out,” Regina told her.

                “Regina, what if the bouncer had checked your ID at the bar that night?” Emma asked.

                “Emma, I’m not stupid, I would have pulled my ID out of my bra, she’d have barely looked at the ID trust me and waved me in.” Henry laughed. “I’m too hot to go to jail.”

                “Regina, that wasn’t cool, people must have thought I was like some creepy cradle robber.”

                 “Whoa excuse you I am an adult, I haven’t been in a cradle in a long time,” Regina told her. Emma glared at her.

                “Well that settles it, you can’t boss me around young lady, I’m the obvious authority around here,” Emma told her. Regina laughed.

                “Oh, you’re so cute thinking you’ll be in charge,” Regina said as she got off the floor. “Come on Henry let’s go shower before Emma, makes anymore bad jokes.” Henry chuckled and jumped on her back when she offered, and they went skipping up the stairs laughing. Emma followed her family declaring they would respect her authority.    

 

 

                “What’s this?” Regina asked as she rolled in a keg. Snow was standing in front of her in an overly large blouse and grandma skirt to her knees and thick stockings.

                “We’re here for the party,” Snow said. Regina looked at Emma who was blushing and looking away from her. Her eyes went back to Snow.

                “No, you’re supposed to be babysitting my son, not ruining my party for my guests.”

                “Oh, but Mother…”

                “No, you’re pregnant and you’re not staying at a party where there will only be alcohol. Also, this is private, it’s someone’s birthday, would you like someone to show up uninvited that you don’t like to your birthday party?” Regina asked. Snow looked down. “Now I’m giving you a very important job, watch my son, your grandson/brother. And you’re telling me a party is more important.”

                “No, never!” Snow cried. “Charming let’s go!” David shrugged and followed Snow out.

                “Oh my God, this is so ridiculous there’s like a two-year difference between you two,” Emma said throwing her hands up.

                “No, what’s ridiculous is me having to ask you to help with the kegs,” Regina told her before heading into the backyard.

                “Kegs?” Emma asked. She went out to the car and somehow Regina had fit over ten kegs in her car. “This has to be magic.” Regina hooked them all up in the backyard, and Jack came by with Falcon and set up a stage. Someone else came with speakers, and yet more people brought over food

                “Is there a band coming or something?” Emma asked.

                “We are the band, it’s a Karaoke party,” Jack told her as the music started early now that the speakers were up, and Bleeding Love started playing. Everyone was grooving as they set up tables.

                 “Come on let’s go change, everyone will be here soon,” Regina said. They went inside and Regina changed into a red dress with a fake corset, and a tutu style skirt, but a longer skirt clipped onto the sides giving the air of a bigger designer dress as it was embroidered with gold thread.

                “Regina, I swear you are so overdressed for this party,” Emma told her as they walked downstairs.

                “Am I or are you just floored by my beauty?” Regina asked walking outside to cheers, whistles, and yells.

                “Oh my God face yes!” Jack yelled.  They were all bowing to her, but Emma saw it was exaggerated and not done in any seriousness. “Give me more face.” Regina framed her face with her hands. He looked closer. “PERFECTION LADIES AND GENTLEMEN THAT IS HOW YOU DO IT!”  Regina did a little turn and threw off her skirt.

                “Oh my God those heels!” Someone yelled. Regina strutted back and forth modeling her heels

                “Yes, yes, and yes!” Someone cried. Regina did another turn, but finally grabbed a mug of beer and sat down. Emma joined her at the table.  Kathryn hurried onto the stage and started to sing bulletproof complete with sexy dance as everyone cheered her on and people Emma had worked out with played their instruments.

                “This time baby I’ll be bulletproof,” They all sang. “This time baby I’ll be bulletproof. This time baby…”

                “Um…Regina is it really Karaoke if there’s no screen for the words,” Emma whispered.

                 “Sure,” Regina said as Kathryn pulled her up to dance as someone decided on Pon de replay, Regina pulled Emma up. They started a soul train line and to Emma’s amusement someone kept turning the music up.

                “Guys, the neighbors are going to call a noise disturbance,” Emma told them.

                “Who are they gonna call the Mayor or the Sheriff?” Carol asked. They all laughed. Emma laughed too realizing no one was going to complain.

                “Emma your turn!” Kathryn yelled drunkenly.

                 “What no,” Emma said but they pushed her on the stage, and Regina told them to play walking the wire by Imagine Dragons.

                “Do you feel the same when I’m away from you?” Regina sang.

                “Ooh ooh?” Emma sang nervously.

                “Do you know the line that I’d walk for you?”

                “Ooh Ooh,” Emma sang

                “We could turn around, or we could give it up. But we’ll take what comes, take what comes. Oh, the storm is ranging against us now.”

                “Ooh Ooh,” Emma sang.

                “If you’re afraid of falling then don’t look down,”

“Ooh Ooh,” Emma sang

“But we took the step, or we took the leap. And we’ll take what comes, take what comes,” Regina sang as she stood next to Emma and indicated for her to sing.

“Feel the wind in your hair. Feel the rush way up here. We’re walking the wire, love. We’re walking the wire, love. We’re gonna be higher, up. We’re walking the wire, wire, wire.” They sang. Emma started on the second bridge on her own. But they all sang with her through the next Chorus and she got into it and really enjoyed herself, she really liked that song by Imagine Dragons. Emma didn’t notice that Regina wasn’t singing with her just enjoying her, enjoying singing and partying with her black knights.

“We’re walking the wire, wire, wire,” They sang.  “Look out down below!” That was what David walked in on as they were blasting Emma’s voice and the instruments.

“Do you know we can hear you all the way at the loft?” David asked them.

“Oops we’ll try and keep it louder,” Regina told him as she picked up the mic. “You can leave now.” David glared at her and left after serving her with a noise disturbance ticket.  Regina burned it as her music began to play.

“A shot in the dark, a past lost in space. And where do I start?  The past and the chase. You hunted me down Like a wolf, a predator. I felt like a deer in the lights.  You loved me and I froze in time. Hungry for that flesh of mine. But I can’t complete with a she wolf who has brought me to my knees. What do you see in those yellow eyes?” Regina sang. She made sure the volume was loud as the house music was about to start in the song.

“I love this song!” Ruby cried.

“Cause I’m falling to pieces, I’m falling to pieces, falling to pieces, I’m falling to pieces, falling to pieces.” The music literally made them all bounce automatically as Regina danced.

“Did she lie in wait, was I bait, to pull you in. The thrill of the kill, you feel, is a sin. I lay with the wolves, alone, it seems. I thought I was part of you.” Regina sang. “You loved me, and I froze in time. Hungry for that flesh of mine. But I can’t compete with a she wolf, who has brought me to my knees. What do you see in those yellow eyes?”  Emma started drooling as she watched Regina dancing with everyone else. Even the music kept playing long after she stopped singing.  Eventually Regina and Kathryn sang Sledgehammer by fifth harmony along with Ruby who turned out to be a huge fan.  At some point Regina ended up in her lap as part of the dance and didn’t vacate it to her happiness except when they were dancing. The last song Emma remembered dancing too in her drunken haze and to her shame, weed, she hoped Regina didn’t realize she had been smoking and had toked with some woman blowing smoke from her mouth. When she woke up, she was being cuddled up from both sides by naked bodies.

“Oh fuck!” Emma yelled jumping up and tripping out of bed.

 “Ugh Emma, why are you yelling so early?” Regina groaned. “Baby come back to bed.”

“Regina, there are other women in our bed!”

 “Pff didn’t think I was other women,” A familiar voice said.

                “Maleficent?” Regina asked surprised.

                “Yes dear, thanks for resurrecting me by the way,” Maleficent said stretching from behind Regina.

                “Guys what’s all the noise?” Ruby asked groaning. Emma was looking horrified. The bathroom door opened.

                “Hey you guys up?” Kathryn asked beaming and naked as the day she was born.

                “Emma’s yelling, but I’m not sure why,” Regina told her.

                “Regina, we just woke up naked in a bed full of other women, and one of them should be dead!”

                “Dragons don’t really die dear,” Maleficent told her.

                “Ugh if we’re going to talk, I need coffee,” Regina grumbled grabbing her robe and putting it on. Emma quickly covered herself and threw clothes at Ruby. They all went downstairs, and Regina made coffee and glared at the sun. There were people sleeping everywhere.

                “Awww look Jack feel asleep mid pump,” Kathryn said as if it was the cutest thing.

                “My poor Apple tree didn’t deserve that,” Regina grimaced. “He’s going to take good care of it after that.”

                 “Can someone please tell me if we had an orgy?” Emma asked.

                “Oh definitely,” Ruby grinned. Emma’s eyes went wide. “It was the fairy dust.”

                “Fairy dust?” Regina asked.

                “Yeah Nova showed up with a whole bag and then you started doing crazy shit with your magic, and you were convinced you could resurrect the dead, I don’t know it was thrown around to try Maleficent so we didn’t inadvertently get zombies you know.”

                “Oh, that was real smart, I wouldn’t want to make zombies,” Regina told her.  They all nodded.  Emma had to nod as well; she didn’t know how she would feel if she woke up to zombies of all things. “You know I’m starting to remember a little and don’t worry Emma you didn’t sleep with anyone, for some reason we got naked to resurrect Maleficent and never got dressed again. I’ll bet anything our clothes are still in the cave.”

                “Ruby what the hell you said definitely,” Emma cried.

                “I meant that we could tell you what happened,” Ruby laughed. “Your face was just a bonus.” Emma picked up a grape from the fruit bowl and threw it at Ruby who only laughed more.

                “I can confirm I transported us all here naked cause you passed out from the fairy dust and magic.”

                “Does my backyard have a pool now, is…is that a tiger sleeping with Chris and a miniature unicorn?” Regina asked.

                 “Like I said some crazy shit went down with the fairy dust and your magic,” Ruby said. Regina nodded.

                “I must have been high already to conjure up a unicorn,” Regina murmured. 

                 “You were very clear that it was for your little girl just like you and Henry had planned, and every little girl needs a unicorn,” Kathryn laughed. “This was funnier when you couldn’t actually conjure it and we thought you were so drunk you thought you were a witch.” They all laughed and then regretted it.

                “No, no laughing just drunk food,” Emma groaned. Regina just finished making breakfast as Jack looked at her sheepishly apologized about her tree and promised to care for it. They were all still eating when Henry ran in followed by Snow and David.

                 “Henry shush!” Someone yelled. Henry blushed.

                “Sorry,” Henry said. He went to his mothers who hugged and kissed him.

                “I guess you all had fun,” Snow said right before she screamed grabbed her stomach and ran away.”

                “God that scream never stops splitting the head,” Someone groaned.

                “What is she doing here?” David asked pulling his gun. Regina moved out of the way with Henry, she was automatically surrounded by her guards no hangover was going to keep them from protecting Regina.

                “What the fuck, David put your gun down, chill out,” Emma groaned.

                “Emma, Maleficent is alive and in your house, you killed her!” David yelled. Regina held her head.

                “She’s not a threat, she’s been chill if she wanted you, she would have come after you already,” Regina pointed out. Maleficent glared at him but made no move. She had unfinished business with the Charmings, but now was not the time.

                  “She can’t stay here, we put her over the town line,” David told them.

                “Um…no, you don’t decide that you aren’t in charge here, and she hasn’t done anything to you, if anything she should be worried about Emma, but she’s not,” Regina pointed out.

                 “David put your gun down now and get out of our house. You need to focus on mom and assure her she’s safe, because she is,” Emma snapped. They made him leave.

                “I’m sorry about them, but you are going to be chill right?” Emma asked.

                “Yes, for now, your parents and I must eventually work something out just not right now, I want to adjust to this world,” Maleficent told her. Regina squinted her eyes at Maleficent trying to figure out what they had to work out. Maleficent just waved her off though and returned to breakfast. Once everyone was relaxed again, breakfast was finished, and they began to clean up. Henry played around doing Karaoke as they cheered him on with ear plugs in. Regina made the pool a more manageable size at Henry’s pleading to have something to swim in. The unicorn she grudgingly got rid of even though it was so cute. Chris disappeared with the tiger; she was going to give her a stern talking too later about trying to keep wild animals after a wild night out.


	10. Chapter Ten

Chapter Ten

 

                “Kathryn will bring you food by, please do not go anywhere near the Charmings while we’re away,” Regina said. “Or you can always go to her house.” Maleficent nodded. “And Chris is going to be over to cuddle at night, but she’s got shifts at the hospital, but she only has morning shifts until we’re back.”

                “Oh Good, I don’t mind cuddling with Kathryn it’s just Fred is cold,” Maleficent commented. “And watch out for Gold he will betray you if it means getting to his son.” Regina nodded. They kissed cheeks and Henry hugged Maleficent real tight before he ran out to the car. Emma waved and Maleficent and Regina glared at her until she hugged.

                “Stop being weird it’s cool you killed her she forgives you,” Regina said getting into the bug. She still would rather take her car, but she had agreed.

                “No, it’s more that she sleeps in our bed cuddled up to you every night, and you two used to be together,” Emma said as she drove off.

                “But I like you,” Regina said. “You’re my girlfriend.”

                “Yeah, but she can you know, better.”

                “I wouldn’t at all say better, she’s just different. She’s salt, you’re sugar. Looks the same at first glance, but I’d put you both on completely different dishes, and all of them delicious.”

                “Except you put a little salt sometimes in sweet things,” Emma pointed out. Regina got a silly little grin on her face. “Regina really!”

                “What those are also really good too,” Regina said.

                “Not at all helping,” Emma said.

                 “Okay, okay, but don’t worry, I promise she’s only sleeping, because dragons don’t like to sleep alone that’s all. I’m the closest thing she has to family these days. That is really all it is.”

                “Is Maleficent going to be my third mom?” Henry asked chiming in.

                “No,” Emma said. “This is not that kind of relationship.” Emma pulled up in front of Gold’s shop. “All right we’ll finish this conversation later.”

                “Stay in the car, dear,” Regina told Henry. They went inside the shop where Gold was waiting.

                 “Well, where are we going?” Emma asked. Gold pulled out a blank globe and pricked his finger. The blood left a trail heading towards New York State.  Emma grunted she was hoping he was closer. They managed to get an address from it too, to her relief, she thought perhaps she’d be going all over New York until they recognized someone.

                “We’ll drive to Boston, take a plane to New York and back,” Emma said. “That way the car can stay where we intended.” Regina nodded. Gold grabbed his scarf.

                “Good luck guys,” Belle said. They left.

                “I thought we were taking your car, Regina,” Gold said with distain.

                “Nope, I didn’t want dirt in my car,” Regina quipped.

                “Very well you’ll have to get into the back,” He said. Regina glared at him. “Either that or you can listen to me bitch the entire way about how my leg hurts.” Regina glared at him but moved her car stuff to the back.

                “Didn’t want you next to my son anyway,” Regina grumbled. Soon they were at the town line with her father watching. He warned Gold not to hurt his daughter and Grandson. They crossed the line and Gold was fine except for vomiting harshly.

                “Absolutely fucking not,” Emma said She drove backwards hard and David looked confused until he saw the vomit. “Clean that up, you were told not to eat breakfast.” Gold glared at her, and waved his hand not wanting to sit in his own vomit. Regina conjured a bag and barfed into it. She was barely getting over her initial wave of nausea when Emma had reversed.

                “Thanks for that babe,” Regina grumbled.

                “Oops sorry honey,” Emma said giving Regina a more sympathetic look. Gold rolled his eyes at them, but once all vomit was out of the car, they went through again. This time Gold was ready for it and vomited outside the car, and Regina was fine if they didn’t immediately go back over the line. Soon they were on their way to Boston. Regina and Henry took turns playing on his Gameboy. Emma sighed this was not how she imagined their road trip. Her and Regina were supposed to be holding hands in between her switching gears, while she sang in Spanish to her favorite songs.  Henry was supposed to hum along in the back with a huge smile on his face as he looked at the sights outside the window. Halfway to Boston, they switched, and Regina even made Gold get in back so Henry could take pictures out of the window. She hooked her phone up to the radio, she had switched out with magic from her own car.  Her and Henry weren’t shy about singing songs in Spanish together as they jammed. Emma started to relax and enjoy her family despite Gold.

                “Uh Emma when is the last time you had your car checked?” Regina asked as she pulled over.  There was smoke rising from the back of the car.

                “Never,” Emma said.

                “You didn’t get it checked before a long drive?”  Regina asked. “And you let me put my son in this?” She glared at Emma who looked sheepish.

                “I knew I should have just demanded we take my car,” Gold grunted. They got out and Regina popped the back to see the problem.

                “Well I have no clue what’s wrong,” Emma said. Regina sighed and pulled out a handkerchief. Once the smoke cleared, she used her phone for better light.

                “And they say you’re the guy,” Regina grunted as she got her hands dirty. “Your radiator is busted; we’ll have to call for a tow.” 

                “Let me guess you have triple A,” Emma said rolling her eyes.

                 “Attitude much and no I don’t.” Regina called for a tow truck, not that several guys did not pull over to see if they could give her a hand while she was leaning on the hood.

                “No thank you sir, she’s taken,” Emma growled.

                 “Damn all right, was just gonna ask if you had a tow truck coming already and if you’d like us to wait with you,” He said.

                “Nosotros estamos bien,” Regina told them. “Mi novia es muy celosa.” They chuckled and continued onto their destination. The tow truck finally arrived, but he didn’t have enough room for them all.

                “You and Gold go, Henry and I will catch a ride,” Regina said.

                “No way you and Henry will go, Gold and I will wait for a taxi or a nice person, whichever comes first.” Regina shrugged knowing Emma just didn’t want her in the car with someone like the others that had already stopped for them. She and Henry finished the ride into Boston with the tow truck driver. They had already checked into the hotel with all their things when Emma and Gold arrived.

                “No one stopped for you?” Regina asked when Emma came into their room.

                “Fucking Gold was an absolute nightmare, I thought you were high maintenance.” Regina chuckled.

                “I rebooked our flights for tomorrow morning, I worked out with Henry that we would do Boston on the way back since your car will need a few days, it will take three weeks to get the radiator and like three days to get it in. Emma sighed and nodded as she sat next to Regina on the couch.

                “You’re the best,” Emma said. “Sorry I’ve been a jealous little freak all day.” Regina chuckled and gave her a kiss.

                “All good, you can make it up to me after Henry is in bed.”  They kissed some more when there was a knock on the door. Emma groaned and opened the door.

                “Yes?” Emma asked. She rolled her eyes when it was Gold.

                “When do we leave, why did I bother with a room,” he said.

                “So, you can sleep like a normal person, we missed our flights, Regina already rebooked for tomorrow morning,” Emma told him. “Now please return to your room.”

                “I can’t the damn door locked me out,” He grumbled.  Emma groaned and left to take him to get a new key card. When she came back, Henry was out of the bathroom and ready for dinner. They took him and Gold to get Pastrami sandwiches as well as Boston Crème pie.  Gold complained their choice of food was less than satisfactory and he had something else. Emma wished he hadn’t come out of his room again and seen them leaving for dinner. They walked around a bit at night with Gold thankfully preferring to go back to his room. The next morning, he was at their door early interrupting Regina and Emma’s morning time together.

                “Seriously come on, why is everyone a cockblock for us,” Emma pouted.

                “Is it really cockblocking if we’ve already been fucking all night?” Regina asked curiously as Henry let him in. Emma chuckled.

                “The questions your mind come up with, and it is if I still want you.” They dressed and went out. Gold was ready to go and demanding they get ready. They gather their stuff and took a shuttle to the airport. The roughest part however was security as Gold or Regina had never been through security. Regina had pinned her bun up and so got a pat down that she was not fond of because of it. Gold was weird about his scarf and they all watched him closely wondering if he would lose his memory. He thankfully came through all right and they all gave a sigh of relief. Unfortunately, that caught the attention of someone.

                “Could you all step aside please?” They all got taken to a room.

                “What’s the meaning of this?” Gold demanded to know.

                 “We have reason to believe that one or more of you may be traveling in an unsafe situation. You looked very nervous going through security,” A woman said. “I need to see all identification.”

                “You’re eighteen, you just had a birthday,” She said to Regina, who nodded.

                “The rules changed for young women between the ages of fifteen and twenty-five, this group is highly sex trafficked. And as you are traveling with a strange older gentleman and woman who seems to be taking care of you all well, we have to ask if you can provide proof that your parents have authorized this travel.”

                “My parents are dead, he is my lawyer, he is ill, and we’re taking him to his son in New York. He wanted to take a surprise visit to him, but unfortunately he’s not always lucid, we were worried he’d freak out about his scarf, it was his wife’s, God rest her soul.”

                “And the child?” She asked.

                “My son,” Regina answered. The woman frowned and crossed her arms. “He’s adopted calm down, I’m aware that we have an eight-year difference. And yes, you can legally adopt at eighteen, google it.” She did google it and once they also made sure there were no drugs and Emma was just a family friend, because she was terrified if she said girlfriend, they would arrest her for statutory rape. Finally, they were on a plane.

                “I knew your age was going to come bite us in the ass,” Emma murmured shaking her head as she just tried to relax.”

                “Could be worse, I could not be here, and you could be jailed for kidnapping,” Regina pointed out.

                “Oh, dear God, I hadn’t even…” Emma trailed off and just tried not to hyperventilate before takeoff.  The flight attendant was worried until Gold was freaking out about planes being the Devil’s work.

                “This is so rich coming from the Dark One isn’t he basically the Enchanted Forest Devil?”  Emma asked. Regina nodded from her place where she was holding his hand looking bored just to keep him calm. Take off had freaked her out too but now that they were in the air it was fine, what was not fine was landing and she abandoned Gold for the safety of Emma’s arms.

                “Oh, my baby boy, are you all right?” Regina asked him as if landing had hurt him.

                “I’m fine mom, better than you,” Henry pointed out. She brushed him off and hugged him close now that they were off the plane.

                “Feet on the ground, this is why I never got a broom,” Regina told Emma. “Feet on the ground is better.” Emma chuckled and rubbed her back. They gathered their things and headed for a hotel. Once their stuff was put away an antsy Gold insisted, they find his son.

                “Wow New York is so cool,” Henry said.

                “Yes, it is I can’t wait to show you around when we get a chance, but we have a job to complete so we can finally have time for us,” Emma told him. He nodded. He skipped ahead of them, but not too much. He was in grabbing distance as they walked hand in hand. Gold was behind them limping along.

                “I found it!” Henry called. They went inside. There was no going up to the apartments with a large gate, so they looked at the bell list.

                “Do you have an apartment number?” Emma asked Gold.

                “No unfortunately the magic wasn’t that specific,” Gold said annoyed. Emma found an empty slot.

                 “This is the one,” Emma said.

                “It could just be vacant,” Gold pointed out.

                “Do you trust her or not?” Regina asked him. “You’re wasting our time.” He glared at her.

                “Look you may deal in people, but I deal in people that don’t want to be found, trust me, they’re not going to put their names on a mail slot.” She pressed the button. The speaker clicked on. “UPS package for number 407.”

                “Maybe you should have said Fedex?” Henry quipped as they heard a window open.

                “He’s running.” They went outside to see a figure climb down and run away.

                “You owe me Ms. Swan just bring him back so I can talk to him,” Gold told him.  Emma looked hesitant.

                “Go do you, we’ll be fine,” Regina told her. Emma nodded and ran off. “Come on off the street, we’ll wait upstairs, this is best done in privacy.”

                “How do you suppose we do that?” Gold asked. Regina went in rolled her eyes pressed another button used the same ruse, and said it was for 407, the person buzzed them in. They went up and the door wasn’t even locked.

                “Eww thought your son would see fit to live better than you,” Regina wrinkled her nose, as they waited.

 

                Meanwhile Emma was suddenly grateful Regina had been making her run six miles every morning, this was nothing in comparison. She caught him off by taking a short cut through some shops and tackled him hard onto the ground. She groaned.

                “Ah shit, Regina’s gonna kill me,” She muttered. She looked up to see a face she had wanted to find and yet no longer wanted to ever see again.

                “Emma?” He asked.

                  “Neal, you’re…you’re…what the hell, you’re Gold’s son!” Emma yelled.

                “Emma, what are you talking about whose Gold?” Neal asked.  “I mean what are you doing here?”

                “YOU LEFT ME!” Emma yelled. “WHY I WANT THE TRUTH NOW!”

                 “Whose Gold, why are you here?” He asked again.

                “Did you know?” Emma asked.

                “Know what?”

                “About me, that you’re Gold’s son,” Emma threw her hands up. If Regina were here, she’d smack them both for just repeating questions.

                “I don’t know a Gold.”

                “Rumpelstiltskin,” Emma said finally getting out one answer. Neal looked sick.

                “Ugh I gotta go, I gotta run,” Neal said. Emma growled, of course Neal had to run, he always had to run, he was the reason that even though Regina had done absolutely nothing wrong with Maleficent she hadn’t agreed to, that being them cuddling because otherwise Maleficent didn’t sleep and was depressed, she was still waiting for the other shoe to drop for Regina to abandon her and kick her out.

                “Of course, you want to run, like you always do, but guess what Neal, I fucking deserve answers!” Emma yelled.

                “Ugh fine, I’ll answer any question you have, but not there, I’ve spent my entire life trying to get away from that man. Let’s go to a bar.”

                “No, I don’t want to fucking drink with you, just tell me the fucking truth.”

                “You can yell at me there,” He said and walked off. Angry Emma followed him to the bar. He ordered her a beer, but she didn’t trust it. They were not buddies; she was not having a drink with this man.  She would sooner have one with his apparent father, and that was saying something.

                “Did you know who I was when we met?” Emma asked him.

                “No, no I never would have never gone near you, I found out later,” Neal told her. “I wanted to get away from that world.”

                “What do you mean you found out later?” Emma asked.

                “When I went to sale the watches, I ran into your friend August,” Neal told her. “He knew who I was, he told me who you were, and I ran Emma, I just ran. I had to release you so that you could go home and break my father’s curse.”

                “I loved you, if he had told you to go jump off a fucking bridge would you have, because God right now I wish you had of,” Emma said adjusting the summer scarf Regina had bought her. “But you know what fuck you, I got the closure I needed, and I am over you and I don’t need anything from you anymore.”

                “Oh, come on Emma, something good must have come from our time,” He said.

                “No, not a damn thing. I just went to jail that’s all,” Emma said.

                “You still wear the locket I gave you,” He pointed out. Emma looked down for the first time in years she forgot it was there. It was often like a heavy weight, but she didn’t keep it out of love. That ship had well and truly sailed the day Regina agreed to date her. But it also still held her back in some way, kept her on edge.

                 “You know what I didn’t keep this because I still love you,” Emma told him as she pulled it off her neck, breaking the chain. “I kept this to remind me never to trust anyone again, and no thanks to you I finally have someone who makes me want to trust them more than I ever trusted you.  Now get up let’s go, I need to fill my end of the deal.”

                “You don’t have to take me to him,” Neal said. She could already see he wanted to run.

                “I know,” Emma told him.

                “Then it will be easy to tell him you lost me, you’ll never have to see me again if that’s what you want,” Neal told her. Emma thought of Henry and Regina, and Neal would just complicate things.

                “Fine.” Emma turned around and left. She was just going to tell Gold, they’d have to try again later, she’d send him back home on the fucking bus if necessary, and the next time she encountered Neal or hopefully Gold gave up, she would leave Regina and Henry safe at home away from that bastard, he never had to know. She found the apartment again, the gate was open, so she went through and found Henry and Gold upstairs. Well Henry was in the bathroom; she could hear him humming.

                 “Where’s Bae?” Gold asked.

                “Gone, I lost him, sorry,” Emma said.

                “NO!” Gold yelled. “You were supposed to catch my son Ms. Swan!”

                “Well I didn’t all right, I tried to catch him, and I didn’t. I held up my end of the deal.”

                “No, you didn’t, no one breaks a deal with me!” Gold yelled at her angrily.

                “You don’t have magic here you don’t scare me,” Emma told him.

                “I don’t need magic!” He yelled.  The door burst open as he was advancing towards her and Neal appeared at the door. 

                “Hey leave her alone,” He said.

                “Bae, you came back for me,” He said. Emma rolled her eyes she thought that was highly unlikely, either Neal messed up and thought they had already gone and heard the fight, or he grew a pair. Either way she hoped Henry and Regina didn’t make an appearance before he was gone again.

                “No, I came back to make sure you didn’t hurt her,” Neal said.

                “Neal just leave it….” Emma started.

                “Emma no, stay out of this.” Emma rolled her eyes and threw her hands up, she never wanted to be a part of this, but she was apparently apart of this since before her birth.

                “Why is everyone yelling?” Henry asked coming out of the bathroom. He went to Emma not seeing Regina there to hold onto while they explained. She had gone to grab them some food, because Gold had made them skip breakfast.

                “Honey go back into the other room, we’re sorry for yelling,” Emma said turning him back towards the bedroom.

                “Uh what’s going on, is this your kid Emma?” Neal asked.

                “Why does he care if you’re my mom?” Henry asked her frowning at Neal.

                “Kid how old are you?” Neal demanded to know.

                “Ignore him,” Emma told Henry.

                 “HOW OLD ARE YOU!” Neal yelled.

                 “Eleven!” Henry yelled. “What do you care?”

                “Emma, is this my son?” Neal asked horrified.

                “No, my Dad was a firefighter that died,” Henry told him. “Cause that’s what you told me.” He looked at Emma like she would never lie to him. Emma just hated herself in that moment and she felt like Regina trying hard to be honest with the kid but also wanting to protect him. It wasn’t so easy being perceived as the bad guy when you just wanted to protect your little boy.

                “Emma is this my son?” Neal demanded to know.

                “Yes,” Emma whispered as she stroked Henry’s hair out of his face in a way, she often saw Regina do when she had to tell him something hard. The pain that crossed his face. Regina dropped her bag by the door, it was full of food.

                “Mom!” He ran to Regina and hugged her tightly as he cried. “I wanna go.”

                 “Then we’ll go,” Regina said. She turned and left with him without another word.

                “Who was that?” Neal asked as his son disappeared.

                “Regina,” Emma called, but Regina didn’t answer her. “Fuck me.” Emma grabbed their food and hurried after them. And Neal wanted to follow her but lost her on the street. He grudgingly went back to his father to find out where they were.

 

 

 

                “Regina, Henry?” Emma called as she got back to the hotel. She found them both a little bit in tears as they sat on the couch cuddled up. “Oh, thank God you’re still here.”

                 “Where else would we go?” Regina asked her as Emma sat across from them.

                “I don’t know, back to Storybrooke,” Emma replied.

                “Not a chance, we would never give up the Backstreet Boys even over you,” Regina told her.

                “Oh, Thank God you’re still sassing me,” Emma said relieved.

                “We’re really going to see them?” Henry asked from Regina’s neck.

                “Yes, I had them on alert for front row tickets.”

                “You’re the best mom,” Henry said into her neck as he gave her an extra squeeze. She returned the squeeze back.

                 “Look kid, I’m sorry I lied to you,” Emma said.

                “Wait before you get started, I have something to say on our behalf, and it’s a special pass cursing moment,” Regina told her. Emma nodded and gulped. “Honestly, I need to know what the fuck you were thinking lying to Henry about that of all things, a fireman that died? That man back there can never live up to the fantasy from what I saw, and he is going to be nothing but a disappointment.”

                 “I know, God I know, but I really thought I would never see him again.”

                “There was always a chance, and Emma now, you’ve jeopardized my rights to Henry!” Regina yelled. “Do you understand how scary and uncertain this is for the both of us?” Emma shook her head. “Okay let me paint a picture for you, even though you had no right too and Henry was with you, I could see him, there was nothing stopping him but me, he could see me no problems. But Neal, Neal can drag us to court well me to court. They will wonder what the fuck you are doing anywhere near Henry with sealed records firstly. Secondly when they ask for a DNA test to prove paternity it will come out that you didn’t have his consent for the adoption. You knew who his father is, and he could potentially get custody of Henry.”

                “No, no you have so much more than Neal you are perfect, it’s not in his best interest.”

                “No, Emma I’m not, my age doesn’t change out here not really, people constantly see me as young. My age literally just adjusts on paper, because of the curse. I’m reported as having adopted him in two thousand and one at eighteen, and I’m still eighteen, but it will sound like I got him at ten. As long as, the curse was active this didn’t matter, no way he would have found Henry. You understand that I didn’t want that risk, that’s why the first thing I asked you was if he would be a problem and I feel like you flat out lied to me, because you said he wouldn’t and then Henry told me he was a dead fireman.  I let Henry put up a little plaque in the morgue for him, so he’d have something to mourn him over.” 

                 “Emma my dad’s a bum,” Henry cried. “And he yelled at me.”

                “I know, I know I am so sorry Henry, when you asked me, I didn’t know what to tell you kid, I just wanted to protect you from the truth. I never would have imagined that Neal was Gold’s son or that he would ever come to Storybrooke, especially since it was a hidden town.” Emma got her knees before them both. “But I promise you both, we’re a family, and I promise he is not going to tear us apart. You don’t have to see him if you don’t want too.”

                “Not right now,” Henry said. “I just need time.”  Emma nodded.  “I just need you to be honest with me about who he is and why he’s a bum.”  Emma nodded.

                “I can do that, you both deserve that, to hear why I did what I did.” They nodded. “As you know I found out I was pregnant with you in prison.” Henry nodded. “Before all that I met Neal a year earlier, I stole the bug actually, except I didn’t know it was already stolen and he was sleeping in the back of that car.”

                “You were mad at me for being eighteen, but you drive us around in a stolen car and it’s unsafe?” Regina asked her.

                “It’s not technically stolen anymore,” Emma said. Regina frowned.

                “Look, anyway I was driving off, when he woke up and I don’t know something clicked with us, two lost souls I guess, and we had a great time stealing, and dreaming of some better life. But what I didn’t realize is that Neal is constantly running, he’s a coward, that life would have never been possible for us even if I wasn’t who I am.  Neal is a con man really; he sells you lies until you can’t see the truth anymore. Anyway, since we were on a theft spree basically, the heat was getting on, and he told me about some watches, but if he went to get them, he’d be caught. So, like an idiot I volunteered. I was arrested. He never came for me, and it turns out because August told him who I was, and he just left me all because he also knew that he was Gold’s son. He says he did it to save me, but the only thing that could save me was finally moving on. I’m glad I know my parents now, but that’s a pain that hurts worse now sometimes then it did when I didn’t know them. That betrayal really shaped how I viewed people, because I spent my life knowing I wasn’t loved, and when I finally had it, he just took it away.”

                “And he didn’t contact you in jail?” Regina asked. Emma shook her head.

                “Not more than to give me the bug when I left, I clung to the bug for a long time because it was my only constant and I needed the car to sleep in at least after I was done at the halfway house. Also wanted to try and hunt him down in it and run him over with it.  He never knew about you Henry, but honestly after my conversation with him today and seeing him and how all he could think about was running away from Gold, that even back then he would not have stuck around not back then.” Henry nodded.

                “He might stick around now?” Regina said.

                “Maybe, but you’re his mother, you decide if he visits or not, and that’s just something he has to deal with.”

                “We’re his mothers,” Regina corrected. “We’re your family now and even though we are upset with you, we love you unconditionally and won’t be leaving you any time soon.” They hugged her and Emma cried too.

                “What do you say we go fly standby to California, Gold and Neal can do whatever they like, but we have a family vacation to get started on,” Emma suggested. They nodded.

                “You two grab our stuff, I’ll check us out,” Regina said. Emma nodded as did Henry.

                “We’ll meet you downstairs, so you don’t have to come back up.” Regina nodded.  Regina left and was waiting for the elevator when she came face to face with Neal. He ignored her and tried to walk pass her, but she wasn’t having it and shoved him back in. She made the doors close and hit the bottom floor.

                “No, you are not going anywhere near Emma or my child,” Regina told him.

                “Your child, lady I don’t even know who you are, what are you Emma’s nanny or something, but that is my son.”

                “No, he’s not,” Regina told him. “That is my son, I adopted him, and he wants nothing to do with you, so you’re going to turn back around and leave this place.”

                “If Emma is allowed to be around him then so am I,” Neal said.

                “No, you’re not, I don’t know who you are, you are just a bum off the street as far as I am concerned.” Regina punched him hard in the balls. “That’s for leaving Emma pregnant and in prison alone you asshole. I don’t do more to you, because I wouldn’t change anything if it means Henry isn’t my son.” Regina walked out and soon had the security guards lead him out of the hotel. She checked out and asked to have a private car brought around back since he was still lurking outside. They left without him seeing Henry or Emma. They flew standby to California and forgot all about Neal and Gold and just finally got started on their summer vacation.

                “Moms!” Henry called running over. They had decided that particularly outside of Storybrooke to avoid problems he should call them both moms, but Regina was pretty sure he’d keep the habit to see Emma’s face light up every time. Regina was sunbathing while she read her book, but Emma was excited attempting a sandcastle. “Can Kim join us? She doesn’t have a big brother. Her mom is there.” He pointed to a woman who was watching her daughter.

                “Sure, she can join us at our castle,” Emma said and handed Kim a shovel. Regina just watched them for a bit before joining them as well. Although she was much more interested in the food Regina had packed much to Kim’s mother’s embarrassment when she just helped herself.

                “Oh Kim, you have to ask first sweetheart,” She told her. “I’m sorry, Kim doesn’t know better.”

                “She’s been a darling, she’s more than welcome to eat up, we have more than enough.” Kim gave her a big smile.

                “Thank you for being kind, a lot of the other kids avoid Kim, because she’s special needs.”

                “Kim is special, our son kept pointing out how perfectly a little girl would fit into our family,” Emma laughed. “I’m afraid he was making a case for us to adopt her.” They all laughed.

                “Kim has a mom, I wouldn’t wanna upset her, I know we’d have to find someone else,” Henry pouted. They invited the mother to join them for lunch, and Kim didn’t seem eager to leave them.

                “Is it hard having a special needs child?” Emma asked.

                 “It’s not an easy question to answer, for me it is not difficult, but then again Kim’s functional even with Down Syndrome. I just know in my heart she’ll be fine, but for others, it’s not so easy.” They nodded.

                “I can understand,” Regina said. “It really is all about the village around you sometimes.” The woman nodded.

                “But if you are interested in adoption, there is an open house sort of but for foster kids, I can get you in, but you’d obviously be working backwards, but I know people.”

                “Oh, moms please, please can we go,” Henry said.

                “Oh, we’re not even married yet will they even accept us together as a couple?” Emma asked.

                “Unmarried couples can adopt jointly that isn’t an issue,” She told them.

                “Yes, see no excuse, we have to go moms,” Henry told them. “This is fate!”

                “We will go but we make no promises that this will work out, we don’t live in California so maybe they will say no. Also, Emma and I need to talk about what that means for us. We have you, but our situation is unique, this is a commitment we’d have to make together as a couple and as parents. What age we want, what that means for our schedule and our lives.”

“Agreed kid, a child we adopt as a family deserves for us to be prepared for them and not feel like a burden,” Emma told him. “Everyone always made me feel that way and I gotta do better.”

                “Okay,” He said sadly. “I want to be prepared for them, so they know they’re welcome.” He smiled at them. They finished their day at the beach and Kim’s mother still left them information just in case they changed their minds.

                “So, what are you thinking about so hard?” Regina asked rubbing her hair dry after her shower.

                “This open house thing,” Emma said as Regina lay on the end of the bed to look at her. “Well actually more about you and Henry. You guys were planning on adding to your family, that is something you both thought about and wanted, still want even. At this point I feel like the only reason it’s not happening is because we’ve only been together four months.”

                “More like five going on six now,” Regina corrected.

                “Still it’s not even a year, we’re new, this is our first family vacation, and I mean I’m not even thinking about proposing, you haven’t even said I love you. And I’m holding you and Henry back and what profound thing are you going to say that’s going to make me love you more?” Regina grinned and kissed her.

                “I love you too, Em-ma,” Regina told her. Emma blushed realizing in her own way she had been saying it. “And you’re an idiot, but you’re my idiot. I told you I loved you in New York fool, don’t you remember?” Emma thought back, and Regina had indeed told her, but she had been so worked up with Neal that she hadn’t even taken notice.

                “I’m an idiot, okay, but still I’m holding you and Henry back.”

                 “Now for my profound thing,” Regina laughed. Emma chuckled too. “Say Henry and I weren’t here, but your life is stable, you have the home and the job. Have you ever felt like you would want to have another child or adopt one?” Emma shrugged.

                “I felt guilty about Henry, I didn’t know how I would explain to him why I adopted a kid but gave him up or why he wasn’t worth keeping, but the other kid was. I think that had so much to do with my own feelings of abandonment, now I think with a loving mother like you, the one thing Henry has never said was that I abandoned him.”

                “That’s because when we first had it out about him being adopted, he felt sad. But I did manage to tell him that he wasn’t abandoned or unwanted by you. It was the one thing that rang true within him everything else I said could have been gibberish, but that he held onto, probably what helped fuel his search for you.”

                “Thank you for that,” Emma told her.

                “So, and now when you think about kids, don’t think about where we are, just think about how you see your future with multiple children or not.  It is that simple, what can you handle, is your heart content or not?” Emma nodded and thought about it.

                “If I’m honest I do want more children, it saddens me I had to have the abortion except I know it was better for us both, and while I will also have a special connection to other foster kids, what I think about is little cute Regina babies,” Emma told her. Regina gave her a sad smile.

                “I’m sorry Emma, but that just isn’t possible,” Regina told her.

                “Why?” Emma asked. “I don’t understand you said I could get you pregnant with the thing.” Regina sighed.

                “All right, I guess we’re having this conversation.” Emma nodded. “As you know the King wanted an heir, I was thirteen, the King was weak, he could barely get it up enough to ejaculate so you can imagine that sex was terrifying and painful not only was he never hard, I was never in a receiving mood shall we say. It got a point that it took fairy magic to get me pregnant and keep me pregnant. I had so many miscarriages within six weeks, at some point I only saw blood and felt pain. And the first pregnancy that Blue managed to make stay was absolute torture on my body, I was fourteen by then, been beaten already for causing the miscarriages, but back then I had no idea how to do this.”

                “Jesus,” Emma said. “You don’t have to say anymore.”

                 “No, I need to get it out, I want to tell you, it’s just so painful sometimes,” Regina said wiping her eyes, because Emma didn’t get to bring this up and then back out when it got too painful. She certainly didn’t have the luxury so neither would Emma. “I don’t know I went through pregnancy in a daze but towards the end I felt the baby moving and I grew attached, started nesting, and setting up the nursery. The baby came early naturally at such a young age. I had been ill for weeks when she came, I thought I might die. It was a long labor and when she was finally out all I heard were her soft little cries. And then he said take her away.”

                “Take her away, take her away where?” Emma asked.

                “The maid told me they left her outside and then thawed her out before telling me I had a still born baby. I am haunted by her crying, I thought about making the stretch marks go away, but they’re all I have left of her except half the time I can’t look at them.  Every pregnancy after that never lasted no matter what Blue did and regardless of if I took an herb. I thought it was just his useless seed, but Maleficent got me pregnant once, the baby didn’t last either, that’s why I don’t age, I got their eternal youth. I just don’t think it is physically possible for me to carry a child.”

                “Oh my God and I have been sort of pushing you to relive that, and Jesus fucking Christ, Snow always acts like he’s so good and right. He put your baby out in the cold to die!” Emma cried. “Why?” Regina shrugged.

                “I just chalked it up to no one could usurp his Snow or he didn’t want a girl, or maybe there was something they perceived as wrong with her. But I really will never know because all I got was the tiniest peak of her pale face before they took her away again. And life went on like she had never even existed just an empty nursery she would never be in, that part was hard. Harder still when everyone acted as if she never existed.”

                “Does she have a name?” Emma asked.

                “Not officially, the King has to approve all names, when I asked him to approve her name he refused to, said it was unnecessary for Kings to acknowledge failures.”

                “What was her name?” Emma asked.

                “Cassandra, my father named her after his grandmother on his mother’s side.”

                “It’s beautiful, and we’ll never forget her again, whatever you need to take a day to remember her we’ll do it now together all right?” Regina nodded as she cried, and Emma hugged her. They remained silent for a little while.

                 “What do you want though in terms of kids?” Emma asked. “I realized I just did that thing again assuming your feelings on the matter without you actually having been super clear on them.”

                “I love children, to me I will love any child, it doesn’t matter when I get them or how I get them in the sense of if I give birth or adoption. Being a mom is just something that clicks for me. Is Henry enough yes, but he will grow up, and I won’t not physically. My life is going to be long barring any unfortunate magical mishaps or murders or whatever. Henry was never going to be the last child I adopted.”

                “Then if you feel strongly about it, we can go, but on paper maybe adopt as a single parent, my record could mess things up for you.” 

                “Emma, I’m not adopting a kid into one half of this family, even if we weren’t dating, I think I would still ask you to do it with me,” Regina said. Emma looked surprised.

                “What really, why?”  Emma asked.

                “You know how for you Boston had to be done with Henry and I even though we were barely friends and we’re being generous with that term?” Emma nodded. “Our family felt broken then, a lot of fighting we argued easily over Henry one would think we were divorced. I didn’t want to bring a child into that. Do you see the difference in Henry since he’s been spending time with us both, living in the same house as us both? Like it’s Henry from before the dark times. I didn’t want Henry to feel like I was replacing him so the only gesture I could think of is that I have to really take you into my family and really co-parent with you if I got another child while Henry was still one as well.”

                “Oh, he would never think you were replacing him,” Emma reassured her.

                “Maybe, but there was potential for that and you’re not half bad when you aren’t eating like a child,” Regina told her. Emma nudged her.

                “And there’s that sass you must be feeling a little better.” Regina chuckled. “I still think I’m standing in your way, and while we got the I love yous out, we aren’t married, we’re barely together half a year. It’s not the way people do things.”

                “Which part of our relationship is conventional?” Regina asked.

                “Fuck so true,” Emma groaned. She couldn’t find one thing about their relationship that was conventional from how they both were Henry’s mothers to Regina’s age. They in all likelihood should not be a couple.  Regina’s phone beeped and she looked at it.

                “The open house is canceled, measles outbreak, so let’s just take some more time, put our profile together, and talk about it openly and frequently. I promise if we get a little girl, I will turn her into such a little sass machine all you will see is little Regina.” They both laughed.

                 “Well maybe we aren’t getting babies or anything right now, but I think no matter how we get them, we had best practice making them,” Emma said as she flipped Regina, so she was lying under her. Regina chuckled and then moaned softly as Emma kissed her neck. 

                “Okay, but we can’t practice all night, we have to be up early for Harry Potter World, so we have enough time for Henry to nap and stay up for the concert.”

                “Uh huh sure,” Emma said running her hands over Regina’s body. Regina didn’t reply except to moan quietly so as not to wake Henry up. He was one room over, with a connecting door after all. They fell asleep close to dawn and were awakened at six thirty by Henry jumping on the bed.

                “Moms wake up its Harry Potter Day!” Henry yelled.

                “Oh Henry,” they groaned, but Regina still had to give him a smile.             

                “Henry no, out we’re naked,” Emma cried. Henry giggled.

                “Are we going out naked?” He asked. Emma looked horrified as Henry laughed. Regina hit him with the pillow.

                “Henry that’s not nice, don’t freak out your mother like that,” Regina told him as she slipped out of bed and began to get dressed. For Emma’s benefit she didn’t pull last night’s bra and panties out of the blankets.

                “Regina how can you just get dressed as if you weren’t naked?” Emma asked as Henry jumped on the bed well bounced really.

                “I’ve showered with him, there’s nothing he hasn’t seen,” Regina chuckled. “Henry get down and cover your eyes so Emma can get dressed. He bounced down and put his legs out, so he was sitting. He covered his eyes and Regina threw Emma some clothes.

                “Did you talk about going to the open house?” Henry asked.

                “We did, but it was canceled there’s been a measles outbreak there with the younger children.” Henry nodded. “But given some time and thought Emma and I are considering looking into adoption.” Henry cheered.

                “How much time Mom, I’m not getting any younger you know, I don’t have eternal youth, and neither is mom.” Regina laughed and Emma hit Henry from behind with a pillow.

                “I don’t appreciate the old digs kid,” Emma said even as they laughed.

                “What but Emma it’s true, I don’t wanna be a teenager when we finally get a sister, I’ll have to think about college.”

                “Oh no, you’re staying by my side forever my little prince, that is a non-negotiable.”

                 “Mom will I still be your little prince even when I’m older than you and you  can’t tell me what to do,” Henry grinned. 

                “Haha I see you’re picking up Emma’s humor, you will never really be older than me, and I told you, I’m your mom and moms set the rules. And I told you even when you’re old like Emma, you will always still be my little prince.”  She kissed his forehead right before Emma hit her with the pillow.

                “I don’t appreciate the old shots from you too missy,” Emma told her. Regina laughed simply grabbed a pillow as they commenced a pillow fight that sent feathers all over the room. They were late down to breakfast but decided against it last minute except for Regina who insisted her coffee at least was non-negotiable. Once they had their coffee it was off into the park to Harry Potter world where they snacked on park food all day.

                “Regina, let’s get wands!” Emma exclaimed spotting Ollivander’s wand shop.

                “Emma, we are not walking in there without robes,” Regina insisted as she pointed to the robe shop.

                “You’re right, if we’re chosen, we need the perfect video and picture,” Emma said. Regina nodded. Henry followed them in and got fitted for his Gryffindor Robes right away along with Emma. Regina however was indecisive.

                “What’s wrong?” Emma asked. “We need to get to the wands before it’s too crowded for a good picture.”

                “I know I’m sorry I’m just so torn, am I a Ravenclaw or a Slytherin?” Regina asked. Emma saw she was genuinely perplexed over this one. And the more Emma thought about it the more perplexed she got.

                “Well shit you got me,” Emma murmured. 

                “Guys what’s taking so long?” Henry asked. He was in the full get up with pants, shirt, tie, sweater vest, robe, and shoes. He knew he looked too cute for Regina to say no too.

                “We can’t decide if Regina is a Slytherin or a Ravenclaw,” Emma told him. Henry started to answer and then shut his mouth. “Exactly right.”

                “All right okay only like what were you sorted into at the sorting hat?”

                “Slytherin and Ravenclaw,” Regina answered. “I did it twice wondering if it was consistent. So of course, I repeated it four more times, and I’m three for three on both.”

                “There’s no way for it, but to get both robes, and decide who you’re feeling like today,” Henry informed her.

                “I’m feeling more Ravenclaw today,” Regina said. “Good idea Henry.” She got the entire get up like Henry shoes and all and then they insisted Emma had too as well though she chose the pants instead of a skirt. And then they all had their photo taken and their clothes packed into their new Hogwarts book bags. They went to get their wands, and Regina held up a hundred-dollar bill to make sure Henry was chosen and his pure joy and delight was captured on film.  After enjoying butterbeer among other treats they went back to the hotel where Henry grudgingly took a nap, but he was eager to stay up for the concert.

                “Is it bad, I’m imagining you with curls down your back, that skirt shorter, and taking pictures just for me, and not even necessarily provocative,” Emma commented as she watched Regina sitting back on the bed reading her book.

                “Eighteen-year-old schoolgirl fantasy interesting Ms. Swan, perhaps you’d like to go down and get some teacher robes, to really make this fun.”

                “No, you’re going to make me feel like I’m abusing my teacher power damnit,” Emma pouted. Regina chuckled.

                “Still this schoolgirl outfit is kind of hot, if you wouldn’t mind getting it off of me,” Regina said pulling Emma forward so her hand was already riding up her thigh.

                “Why are you so hot, I’m already wet,” Emma groaned.

                “Just imagine if you had that magical dick, you could feel how wet I am and like really enjoy it,” Regina pointed out.  

                “I’m not trying that yet,” Emma said.

                “You were willing when you wanted to get me pregnant,” Regina pointed out.

                “Oh, that still would have taken awhile despite my goals,” Emma told her as she kissed Regina’s thigh. She pulled back though as Henry opened their connecting door.

                “Henry start knocking kid,” Emma told him as he yawned and crawled into bed, curled up into Regina’s side, and fell asleep. Regina raised one of his arms and dropped it. She chuckled; he was clearly dead to the world. Emma put the couch blanket on him.

                “I don’t know how but I created the cutest kid,” Emma told her. Regina nodded as she kissed his forehead. “You know I never understood why you were worried I could take him.”

                “Why not?” Regina asked. Emma pointed to the way he cuddled up to Regina.

                “The way he cuddles up to you, not even when he was mostly with me did, he ever cuddle up to me like that. We hug we cuddle on the couch, but he just gravitates to you, like you are his mom Regina. Like really his mom, if I wasn’t here, no one would ever know you two came together through adoption. You two were meant to be.” Regina smiled.

                “I do love him with all my being,” Regina replied. “But this went away for a while, and it was scary place to be without it.”

                “How do we always get to sad stuff, let’s think of happy stuff like Backstreet Boys and the cool matching band t-shirts we’re all getting.” Regina smiled and nodded. Eventually Regina read her book and Emma watched television until she fell asleep cuddled up to Henry. Regina took selfie with them.

                “Aww Regina you post me drooling on Henry on Instagram,” Emma complained later.

                “And Facebook,” Regina added as they walked towards the concert venue. Henry was bouncing between them with excitement. “You two were just so cute, I had to take a selfie with my loves.” Emma smiled at her.

                “All right damn it, when you’re being cute like that,” Emma said pulling her close, so they were walking with Emma’s arm around her shoulders. As the crowd thickened, they both took a hold of Henry’s hands. They made it through security and had to check their bags, Regina was able to keep her mini-purse and wallet. Emma checked their coats while Regina and Henry went to buy band t-shirts in their tang tops. Emma had shaken her head when they had both raided her luggage for the tops. When she joined them, she had gotten Henry a coke, Regina a wine, and herself a beer. Once Emma had her shirt on, they got someone to take a photo of them before Regina took Henry to the bathroom and then they went to their seats.

                “Uh these are ours,” Emma told three people who looked suspiciously like seat hoppers.

                 “No, these are our seats,” They told her. Emma rolled her eyes.

                “Look we have tickets so if you could just move that would be great or I’m going to grab security and get you kicked out,” Emma said. They grudgingly stood up, but then stood right in front of them in the little space at the edge of the stage that was not really standing spots, as there were to the side. Well it was standing space, but it was their space.

                “Leave it for now Emma,” Regina said as the pre-band started. They were decent but mostly they just enjoyed their drinks, ate some popcorn and people watched. When the show started however, Regina and Emma made eye contact, and both went into middle of those assholes and forced them out of the way so Henry could enjoy a free view of the stage. The way his little eyes lit up, and they danced and sang. Emma chuckled when Regina and Henry were crying through ‘Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely’ as they sang along. At some point during the upbeat songs, Henry ended up on Emma’s shoulders. Even better when he got pulled on stage and Regina immediately had her phone out to catch him dancing on stage with the Backstreet Boys and poor kid was fangirling all over the place when they talked to him on stage before he ran back to his moms. After the concert he got an autographed greatest hits CD.

                “Best night ever,” Henry yawned as they walked home, well to be exact Emma was carrying her son as he was so tired. Henry was not used to staying up late at all no matter how he always tried to beg for more time. “Thanks Moms.”

                “Poor little Prince all tired out from fangirling so hard,” Regina chuckled. Emma laughed as well.

                “This really was the best vacation ever,” Emma sighed.


	11. Chapter Eleven

Chapter Eleven

 

                “Babe, I’m putting coffee on already, take your time in the shower,” Emma called as she walked down the stairs sleepily. They had gotten back late last night and slept in a bit, but Emma needed to get to work and Regina was working from home since Henry was still on summer break. Plus, she had to go reserve the arcade where he had asked to have his birthday party.

                “Emma,” Neal said. Emma jumped.

                “Jesus Christ!” Emma yelled. “What are you doing here?” 

                “I want to see my son, we need to talk,” Neal said.

                “He’s not your son,” Emma told him. “And you need to get out of my home, my family is here Neal, I don’t want you screwing that up.”

                 “Emma, I don’t know who that bitch is, but you don’t need her.  We can take Henry and leave this magic crap behind now that you broke the curse. We can have the life we dreamed.”

                “No, I’m not taking Henry from the only home, he’s ever known. Regina is his mother and I don’t appreciate you calling my girlfriend a bitch,” Emma told him upset.

                “Emma you’re not gay, but look I get it, you gave up Henry and this is probably the only way you can get away with seeing him, but that’s okay because I didn’t. We can prove paternity in the courts and get him back. We’ll go away.”

                “Don’t you fucking, dare!” Emma yelled.

                “Emma,” He said.

                “No, why don’t you listen to me, I don’t want you, I am happy here, Henry is happy here, we have our family and as of right now you are not in it, so until the kid says different you aren’t coming near him. Now get out of this house before Regina finds out you’re here and you won’t like how she throws you out.”

                “Yeah I’ve already been punched by her, she doesn’t scare me,” He said.

                “Does this?” Regina asked appearing in a cloud of smoke behind him, with a fireball in hand. “Now you’re already trespassing in my house and you’re threatening to take my son. You have five seconds to get the hell out of here or the Sheriff is hauling your ass to jail with or without third degree burns your choice.”

                “You won’t do it, Henry will know what an evil witch you are,” He said gulping at the magic.

                “My son already knows what I am capable of when I feel that his wellbeing is being threatened,” Regina told him without blinking, as a rope of flamed lashed out at him. He cried out, but still wouldn’t leave.

                “I’m not leaving without my son,” Neal said.

                “He’s not your son, he never was,” Emma told him. “And if you care like you say, then you need to respect him when he says he doesn’t want to see you.”

                “Mom don’t use fire,” Henry called down. “You’ll burn the house.”

                “Fine,” Regina called back, and vines bound themselves around Neal. “I’m going to do you a favor and send you back to Daddy don’t come near our family again, don’t call us, we’ll call you if anything changes.” She waved her hand and he vanished.

                “We’re going to need to start locking doors, apparently there’s now someone stupid enough to enter the house of the Evil Queen,” Emma muttered as Henry came downstairs now.

                “Moms you’re not going to let him take me, right?” Henry asked.

                “No baby, never,” Regina told him. “Emma and I tied; you think he stands a chance against the both of us on the same team.” Henry shook his head. They hugged him.

                “Come on let’s get breakfast, Maleficent will be back soon and she thought about joining you in the pool. If you beg she might even, make it bigger. He cheered and nodded. Regina made him some French toast to cheer him up before Emma went to work. 

                “Hey David, how’s it been around here?” Emma asked. He hugged her.

                “Great, great you have time to have lunch with me and your mom before work.” Emma nodded.

                “As long as there was nothing pressing, you’re leaving me.” He shook his head no.

                “I already took care of Pongo today and the cat got up in the tree early.” Emma nodded and joined her parents for lunch. Her mother was so happy to see her, and hoped she’d convince Regina to help her paint the nursery. Emma caught them up on Neal, she didn’t want her naïve mother being enlisted.

                “Yeah, so he’s threatening to tear Henry away from our family. He’ll take him from Storybrooke and you two will never be able to follow, because you know Regina will follow him anywhere fighting tooth and nail for her son, and I will follow them both. So yeah it’s a mess.” David looked furious.

                “That son of a bitch remind me to shoot him for abandoning you like that, he was so afraid to face Gold when he’s the one person with a free pass, he couldn’t stay by your side. Regina’s got more honor than that, and it’s pretty much assumed that villains will betray you,” David said.

                “I am just getting my family back Emma, this baby is coming into a happy family, he can’t take that from us. All I want is my husband, daughter, and Mother by my side with my grandson who is this amazing bonus to be here for this baby and he thinks he’s just going to separate us like, like we’re two halves of a sandwich?” Emma nodded.

                “Basically, just keep an eye out for anything suspicious you know.” They nodded. “And don’t talk to him. So far, he’s only been angry and frightening Henry. Henry has been very clear he doesn’t want to meet him.” They nodded. Emma went back to work, and was just signing the reports she needed to get to Regina from the last three weeks when Neal walked in.

                “Emma what are you doing here?”  He asked.

                “I work here, what are you doing here?” Emma asked.

                “I want to report a crime, where is the Sheriff,” He said looking around. 

                “What crime is that exactly,” Emma said.

                “That’s between me and the Sher….” She held up her badge. “You’re the Sheriff?”

                “I am is that going to be a problem?” Emma asked. He frowned.

                “No, because you work for the people and if I report a crime you need to report it. So, I want to report that the Evil Queen is holding my son hostage in her house with a dragon, and she assaulted me earlier today.”

                “After you went on her private property, so should I arrest you for trespassing?” Emma asked him, crossing her arms.

                “No, because I was on a hero’s mission Emma to save our kid.”

                “He’s not been kidnapped he was legally adopted and has been for eleven years. He has not been abused and he is well taken care of. That person that you’re calling a dragon with disgust her name is Maleficent and she is his Aunt and she loves him very much. They’ve grown quite close, and that Evil Queen you speak of that is his mother and my girlfriend. So, as someone else who lives in that same house, I can assure you that he is very safe.”

                “Well can you arrest yourself for going near Henry,” Neal said.

                “Henry found me, and legally I am not in the wrong, Regina and I worked out continued contact with a therapist in a healthy manner. You have no rights to him whatsoever now please leave us alone. I need to get back to work.” Emma saw him out. She did not need this shit, she texted Regina to keep her updated. She worked on paperwork for most of the night, Regina magically sent over dinner for her before she went out on patrols for the night, all was quiet. She was just settling back into her desk to complete a little more paperwork when she got a phone call.

                “Mom?” Henry called. He was breathing hard as if he had been previously near hyperventilating, and she could hear he was crying. Alarm bells were going off in Emma’s head and she hoped it was just a nightmare and him needing some reassure from more than just Regina, although that was highly unlikely. For Henry, Regina was always enough, she was a bonus.

                “Henry what’s up buddy?” Emma asked.

                “He took me from my bed, mom was passed out on the floor,” Henry cried. “He put me in his trunk.”

                “I’m coming for you,” Emma told him. “Just hang on.” She kept Henry on the line as she called an ambulance to go to her house, David, who got his truck and Ruby who met her at the station as she used her nose. They found Neal trying to break into the grocery store for supplies. Emma popped the trunk and was just so grateful that Henry was inside of it. Ruby and David body slammed Neal to the ground and hauled him. off to jail.

                “I will finish your shift,” Ruby told her. “Go get him home to Regina and find out if she’s all right.” When she got there Regina was fighting them on going to the hospital insisting, she had to find Henry despite her dizziness.

                “Henry!” She cried. They let her go and she hugged Henry even though her head was spinning as she let tears fall. She had been so frightened.

                “I grabbed my phone he didn’t see,” Henry said. “I called Mom.”

                “Thank you,” Regina told Emma as she hugged them both.

                “Don’t thank me it’s my job to protect my family, now you stop fighting the paramedics, we need to get your wound checked out.” Regina now had a large cut on her forehead. She and Henry took the ambulance and Emma followed. Regina had to get stitches and they concluded she had a concussion.

                “Ugh I hate those, they never heal with magic,” Regina grumped.

                 “What happened, did you not lock the door again?” Emma asked.

                “I did, I locked the door for once, Maleficent knew to come back in with magic when she was done flying. And I don’t know something woke me up and I just had to check on Henry. When I walked out of my room, he clocked me hard with a bat. Next thing I know the paramedics are over me and have no idea where Henry is.”

                “That bastard.”

                “He put something in my mouth and then took it away,” Henry told them. Regina frowned.

                “Probably your DNA, kid, what now?” Emma asked.

                “We fight him,” Regina said. “He’s not taking my son by any means.”  

 

 

 

 

                “What is the meaning of this?” Gold asked walking in to find Neal in a cell. It was news all around town by now thanks to Ruby. And Neal had used his one phone call on Gold.

                “Your son has been charged with kidnapping, breaking and entering not only my house but the grocery store, destruction of property at the store, and assault on the Mayor,” Emma told him from her desk.

                “You can’t kidnap your own flesh and blood, Ms. Swan,” Gold told her

                “You can if you have no legal rights to the child, which I remind you, your son does not, he is not listed on my son’s birth certificate.”

                “Dad get me out, I just have to submit DNA and she can’t stop me from getting my son. She’s brainwashed by that bitch.” Gold waved his hand.

                “If you walk out of that cell, I’m going to report it as an escape,” Emma told him.

                “Pay it as bail dad, I don’t want her to have any excuses.” Gold grudgingly paid the bail and they left. Emma immediately called to let Regina know what was going on. And Regina reported that Neal was already seen driving by and Maleficent had put a hole in the street chasing him away under the watchful eye of her guard who were actively watching him all over town.

 

 

                 “Here you go I’m serving you with a petition for custody,” Neal told Regina as he slammed the paper down on her desk. Since Henry was spending the day with Snow, she had gone into the office.  “Dad tells me it won’t be hard since you’re just an eighteen-year-old wealthy brat out there. Who’s better for a child than his own father?” 

                “Look Mr. Cassidy was it; I’ll tell you what I told Emma when she first came in here thinking she would just do as she pleased. And that is that, Henry is my son. I have been there for him since he was an infant, I’ve wiped every snotty nose, kissed every cut, changed every diaper, made every meal, and stayed up all night if necessary if he was sick and continue to do so. This is not a fight that you can win. To answer your question, I am better than the little boy who gave his DNA, you know nothing about my child, and you do not have the means to care for my child. He has a good home here in Storybrooke a safe one where before you came along, he could walk to school without problems.”

                “Yeah, because you cursed everyone to do as you say,” Neal snapped.

                “I don’t know what you mean Mr. Cassidy, I’m just a small-town Mayor and Mom,” She said giving him her best Evil Queen grin as she glanced at his pocket. Carol had called in a small warning. She pushed his petition back towards him. “If I were you, I’d really reconsider your stance on this, Henry has clearly stated he doesn’t want to see you.”  

                “I don’t believe you; you’ll say anything to discourage me, and I am going to get this adoption reversed.”

                “Good luck with that Mr. Cassidy, I won’t be allowing that,” Regina said. He stomped out. Just as she suspected he couldn’t reverse anything, he wasn’t on Henry’s birth certificate, Emma did not need his consent at the time. Also, he hadn’t proven paternity officially.

 

 

 

                “Kid asleep?” Emma asked. Regina nodded as their hammock rocked back and forth peacefully outside. Henry was already napping in his own hammock in the shade her apple tree was providing, she was thinking of building something for her backyard that provided shelter but was open so they could sleep outside like they had done in the Southern Kingdom when it got too hot. It wasn’t too hot now, but there was a certain peace about it. “Good, he really likes the hammock, did you guys nap out here a lot before now?” Emma had come home from the night shift and joined her family in relaxing.

                “Hmm…” Regina answered snuggling into Emma enjoying the rocking motion.

                “I like it too, especially on a perfect day like today,” Emma said adjusting her arm so Regina had to shift more weight on her, and she could rest her hand on Regina’s butt.

                “I should have known this was less about the snuggle and more about the butt,” Regina grumbled. Emma chuckled.

                “What can I say your butt and I are having an affair,” Emma quipped. Regina chuckled and patted Emma as if to placate her. They fell silent for a while. “Regina?”

                “Hmm?” Regina answered.

                “Do you think I am only with you to be close to Henry?” Emma asked. Regina frowned.

                “Ms. Swan if I thought you thought you would date me for anything less than the fact that I am a hot piece of ass with an intelligent mind, I wouldn’t have agreed to go out with you.”

                “Oh, Regina you’re definitely the whole ass,” Emma told her. Regina gave her a light pinch making her laugh.

                “What’s up with you, you had more than enough access to Henry dating me wouldn’t have changed much,” Regina pointed out. “You yourself said that you’d have taken me on vacation with Henry anyway and even if I hated your guts I would have agreed, because it’s time spent with Henry even if I had to share it with you.”

                “It’s just what Neal said or keeps saying, he just gets under my skin you know,” Emma said. Regina nodded.

                “Well don’t let him, this isn’t fake, this is real, more real than I thought possible when you asked, I’ll be honest when we first went out I saw like finally vagina flashing before my eyes, but I made a choice to not treat you like a piece of ass and I am glad I did. Because when you took me on my first date, I hadn’t known that someone could be so caring and sweet. And the way you just made me smile, still make me smile even when I’m grumpy it’s magical really. I didn’t know that kind of love until Henry, but I didn’t know that kind of love in a romantic compacity until I dated you.” Emma kissed the top of her forehead.

                “I don’t know that I said it plainly yet, but I love you Regina Mills you make me smile too.” Regina smiled up at her. “And just to be sure I make you happy right.”

                “Extremely, Emma, I don’t think I’ve ever been this happy before. I have you and Henry my core family, Kathryn and Maleficent are my best friends, and I have my guard who are family to me as well.  And as much as I’m gonna tare Snow apart emotionally after she has the baby, I’m happy to be getting an in-law because I can’t be a grandmother yet. And I’m so happy I don’t care that Snow is happy too.” Emma laughed.

                “Oh, Regina you’re still going to tell her we broke up, she’ll be devastated.”

                “I know, the only thing saving her is that baby,” Regina said. They both laughed some more.

                “Regina!” Carol called around the side of the house.

                “We’re in back Carol!” Regina called back. Carol made her way to the back of the house and came through the gate. She was carrying an envelope. Regina rolled out of the hammock and greeted her with a hug.

                 “Anything wrong at the office?” Regina asked her. Carol waved her off.

                 “The office is running as smoothly as ever especially with everyone taking time to enjoy the sun as you suggested. No, I wanted to bring this by, I do believe it was dropped off with the intention of you not seeing it sooner.” Regina frowned as she accepted the envelope. Emma also sat up and came to stand next to her girlfriend. Regina opened the envelope, pulled out the paper, and immediately crushed the envelope.

                “What does it say?” Emma asked.

                “That asshole had me subpoenaed for DNA from Henry to establish paternity. Failure to comply will mean my arrest,” Regina growled. “This was issued two weeks ago, my last day is tomorrow.” Emma looked angry.

                “Tomorrow is his birthday, where do you have to go?”

                “Portland,” Regina growled. Looking at her wristwatch. “I guess if we go now, we can just make it, because I don’t want him dealing with this shit on his birthday. I have no time to fight this in court, and he knows that undo attention will be too much for Storybrooke. We can’t be sure that strangers won’t just wander in these days let alone outside police to arrest me over this.”

                 “Fucking asshole I won’t be held responsible for punching him in the face,” Emma told them.

                “You won’t see me complaining about my police force going rogue on this one,” Regina told her.  She gently went to Henry who complained in an Emma like manner about having to get dressed in anything other than his swim trunks to head to Portland. When he was fully awake, he questioned it a little more, and they explained to him what was going on.

                “Maybe if I go see him or something he will stop,” Henry frowned.

                “Henry you aren’t responsible for Neal behaving, you have every right to say you need space on this matter after your first impression of him wasn’t so great,” Emma told him.

                “But I’m the reason he’s acting like this,” Henry frowned.

                “Honey you are not the reason, he’s acting like this, because he can’t accept the fact that Emma has moved on and grown up without him, and you’re our weak spot in his mind. But he forgets that you are what reminds us to be strong and brave.”

                “But I could fix it if I just see him,” Henry said.

                “No, honey you can’t and it’s not your job to fix him either. Neal needs to fix himself and seeing him right now would be dangerous he tried to kidnap you not to long ago. And for that I am against him ever being a part of your life.”

                “After that I really don’t want to see him, but I don’t want him to take me away from you, you said it yourself your eighteen and they’ll think it’s weird since I’m eleven, and my adoption records are from so long ago….” Henry trailed off now biting at his finger nails a habit he had picked up lately.

                “It’s okay I checked the documents the curse is keeping up the pretense, age is not a factor here,” Regina told him. “And I promise you, this won’t be easy for him as he thinks. You’ll be twelve tomorrow and more than capable of telling a Judge that you do not want visitation with your father.”

                 “You mean I get a say?” Henry asked.

                “Of course, you’re a minor, but you’re old enough to express your own thoughts on this matter,” Emma told him.

                “Oh, that’s good, I thought, I thought they would decide,” Henry said.

                “They do, but they do have to listen to us,” Regina told him. He nodded. “I think we’ll get a lawyer on this, so they can file any motion to disrupt visitation rights, get us a court date.” Emma nodded.

                “I agree,” Emma said. Emma googled a few lawyers and Regina grilled them over the phone, lawyer number five she felt understood their needs best and cared about Henry’s wellbeing and agreed to take their case. He advised them to still get his DNA taken to avoid a bad start with the courts. Henry was a good sport for the lab where Emma was blindsided with a maternity test as well. It had just been added on as a new subpoena. There was likely another envelope hidden for her around Storybrooke, her and Regina could have been arrested.

                “Fucking bastard,” Emma grumbled as they left.

                “Hey, calm down,” Regina told her.  Emma looked at her upset that she would even tell her to be calm. “Your feelings are valid, but Henry, he’s picking up on this.” She pointed to where Henry was now chewing on his nails again. “He just asked me if he got you arrested now because his adoption was supposed to be closed.”  Emma’s shoulders slumped.

                “Oh my God, I hate him for doing this to Henry more than anything,” Emma said.  Regina nodded.

                “I know but as long as we’re confident, he will be confident. He feels insecure right now and we need to change that.”

                “What about his surprise tomorrow?” Emma asked.

                “It is still going as planned. I think it will be just the distraction he needs.” Emma nodded. They dropped off the papers with their new lawyer who also said he would request a copy of the subpoena from Emma, because who knew where it was hidden.

                “Can we stop for a movie?” Henry asked seeing a theater nearby at the stop light.

                “No, sorry Honey I had to put off work for us to leave, this wasn’t a fun trip,” Regina told him sadly. She would love to take him to the movies to cheer him up, but she had to finish his party favors and unfortunately actual work. Henry slumped in his seat in sadness.

                “Hey bud maybe we can snuggle on the couch while your mom works and watch Star Wars and I’m sure we give her big enough smiles she’ll let us have popcorn too.”

                “No thanks,” Henry grumbled. Blue lights flashed behind them and Regina pulled over with a sigh.

                “My registration is in there,” Regina murmured. Emma grabbed it and Regina’s license out of her purse. She rolled down her window.

                “Ma’am are you aware that you are in violation of the child safety code?” He asked. Regina looked confused.

                “No,” Regina said.

                “A child under four feet nine should not be without a booster seat,” He said directing his attention to a slumped Henry. Regina and Emma both looked back.

                “Henry sit up properly so the nice officer can see that you are sulking eleven-year-old,” Emma said. Henry sat up to his full height and the officer saw that the seatbelt fit him correctly.

                “My condolences, I have a pre-teen as well, I’m not looking forward to the teenage years.”

                “Neither are we,” Regina said giving him a smile and of course he smiled back. Emma rolled her eyes she could just see the immediate infatuation.

                “You folks have a good day,” He said although his eyes never left Regina before he literally forced himself to look away.

                “Well at least he looked at my face the entire time and not attempted to look down my shirt,” Regina told her already seeing the look on Emma’s face.

                “I honestly believe you now when you say you’re too cute to get arrested,” Emma said shaking her head.

                “You didn’t before?” Regina asked in mock hurt. Emma flicked her.

                “Shut up and drive,” Emma told her. Regina drove off carefully. “Something just occurred to me.”

                “What that the officer should have asked me if you needed the booster seat?” Regina asked. Henry out right laughed.

                “Just when I think you’re out of a kid jokes,” Henry laughed despite himself.

                “Running out of jokes is only for those who don’t see opportunities,” Regina told him.  Emma let out a long sigh.

                “I should be upset, but I honestly just didn’t see that coming,” Emma said. Regina snickered. “But no be serious for a minute.”  Regina put on an overly stern face. Emma looked at her like really as Regina glanced at her but kept her eyes on the road as they got onto the highway leading back to Storybrooke. “Sometimes I just can’t with you, but what I realized is that Snow is sixteen.” Regina nodded. “Before David I never saw her drive a car.”

                “Of course, because I want her to go through the hassle of getting her license,” Regina said. “Well I most likely would make it more of a hassle for her.”

                “So, she’s driving around David’s truck without a fucking license?” Emma asked.

                “Emma, was that really a cursing matter?” Regina asked her.

                “You let me curse all the time,” Emma said.

                “When we’re alone, because we’re two adults you just miss the stern looks, I give in front of Henry. That and if we ever add on, God forbid your potty mouth is replicated by a younger child who doesn’t know better.” 

                “Can we even still do that with shitty Neal around?”

                 “Henry,” Regina scolded. “You do not have special permission; we’ll call him sperm donor.”  Henry nodded.

                “Sorry mom, but can we even still adopt with the sperm donor causing trouble?” Henry asked.

                “Yes, but it wouldn’t be ideal while we were still dealing with him dragging us to court. But after we smite him, there shouldn’t be any problems at all.” Henry nodded.

                “Great, I was hoping you’d tell me tomorrow we could start the process,” Henry sighed. “I’m not getting any younger if you two hadn’t noticed.”

                “It’s all we notice right now kid; you’re growing up and believe me your mom and I could keep you small we would.”

                 “Yes and no, I would like to see what kind of man he will be, but also I miss the different stages of your life before now,” Regina told him.

                “Well I would like to not miss the different stages of my baby sister,” Henry told them. “I would ask you both to get off the fence on this, but Mom and by mom, I mean Emma you have to agree please.”

                “What I’m not on the fence, I agreed to it, I’m down for it, but I just can’t think of it right now with Neal threatening us.”

                “Sperm donor,” They both corrected.

                “Right sperm donor,” Emma said.

                “See I told you sperm donor is in the way,” Henry said slumping again.

                “He’s not in the way just pushing back whatever our time line might have been,” Regina told him.  Henry didn’t say anything more, by the time they got back home, he was morose during dinner before going to bed early.  Emma cleaned up while Regina prepared the party favors for Henry’s birthday and remodeled the house with illusion spells to look like Hogwarts.

                “Wow,” Emma said as books floated through the air and the stair case moved, and the dining room now looked like the great hall. “What are the party favors?”

                “Punch in a potion bottle brewed in cauldron for full effect, and wands that will fit to the personality of the kids,” Regina said. “They have to touch them, and I made this sorting hat by hand, and it will change them into their house robes.”

                “Nice,” Emma said. “You are so cool; the kid is going to lose it in the morning.”

                “He sure will when his Hogwarts letter arrives by owl.” Emma nodded.

                “I can’t wait to hear him yell in delight.” 

                “All the kids are going to freak tomorrow morning when they get their letters too, the parents already know though,” Regina said as Emma poured two glasses of wine and followed her to the study. While Regina worked Emma looked up a few things online about the Maine Foster System in which she had originally been in. This was the state the Swans had adopted her in. She wondered how many children they had returned after her, probably none since the wife was able to get her own baby. She thanked whatever higher power for mothers like Regina, even when she hated Emma, she wanted to make sure that Henry never felt like she’d trade him in for a younger model. A kid in the system that was like her needed a mother like that, she had needed a mother like that. And she wouldn’t stand in this kid’s way.

                “Wait there are orphans here, why did you go outside for a kid?” Emma asked.

                “Well the kids that are still technical fosters in this town were all much older, old enough to fear me. I thought my love for Henry would be enough and it might have if you weren’t his mother too. And anyone who was an infant or a toddler, a small child not to know me really, I just simply gave them to the best families. They’re all really happy now, not one of them came to me and demanded I get rid of this child in their house, but some of the older kids I had to move around and at the time, no way anyone in town would let me take one of them in and no way they would come stay here when even my own son wouldn’t for a little while.”

                “Oh, that makes sense, so you said we should talk about this openly, so we adopt what are you thinking this time?” Emma asked.

                “Henry and I are ready for a little girl, if you hadn’t noticed he likes to be the protector and the hero, and who better to save the day for than a little sister?” Regina asked.

                “He could do that for a brother too,” Emma pointed out. Regina nodded.

                “He could, but Henry’s gay and the thought of a brother that wants to play sports with him instead of like Karaoke is just maddening, but the jokes on him I’m turning my daughter into an absolute beast in sports.” Emma laughed.

                “Regina that’s mean, all he wants is for her to like tea parties and stuff.” Regina shrugged.

                “She’ll do both, trust me she’ll be the prettiest little lady ever and a straight beast on the sports team. I just must see what she’s good at. Hopefully not a girl only sport, I want her on the boys teams dominating.”  Emma chuckled. “And you what would you like?”

                “Well I was promised a sass machine, so it has to be a girl, I want a mini Regina one way or another.” Regina chuckled.

                “You may regret that one day,” Regina said.

                “Never,” Emma said as she printed. She picked the papers up before Regina saw what they were not that she had even bothered trying to look as she was focused on a budget report. Maleficent arrived home ate something and joined them with her own glass of wine.

                “Do I have to play the dragon and get hit by shit spells?” Maleficent asked. Regina laughed.

                “No, no we’re going out of town to go roller skating, so you are going to have change out of your grey suit,” Regina informed her.

                “Can I at least have a hat with my new ensemble darling?” Maleficent asked.  Regina nodded.

                “Already arrived, dear,” Regina replied.  Emma shook her head at them.

                “You’re like an old married couple, I’m a little jealous,” Emma told them.

                “We’re an old married throuple,” Maleficent corrected. “I believe that is what Henry called us.”

                “Seems like a sad throuple if only two of us is getting laid,” Emma pointed out.

                “I’m just waiting for you to love me,” Maleficent grinned.

                “Who says I’m sharing?” Regina asked them both. Maleficent smiled at her.

                “Oh, but Regi darling, would you really say no to me giving you both the best orgasms of your life nightly if you asked.”

                “I’d have to if I didn’t want us to scare Henry to absolute death,” Regina told her. Maleficent laughed.

                “Oh, you know I’m very good with my silencing charms,” Maleficent fake pouted.

                 “Hey who says I wanna share?” Emma asked. “Clearly Regina won’t take much convincing.”  Regina chuckled.

                “What if you like her and I like her and she makes us both cum three times at once, who am I to deny you that in your life?” Regina asked her.

                “You would be cruel, but I don’t like her so there you go,” Emma pointed out. Maleficent looked hurt as she let out a deep sigh.

                “I obviously have to add you on my list of things to do,” Maleficent told her. Regina laughed and wiped a tear away. “Pun intended and not. I would of course court you properly, you are not Regina’s whore, so you will not be mine, and she is not mine, so she can’t be yours. And by yours, I mean your whore, although according to Snow, you’re treating her like one. Poor woman is devastated.” Regina laughed more. Emma huffed about Snow.

                “I can’t believe she talked to you, and she’s been avoiding me since we got back from vacation so unusual even for her,” Regina commented.

                “Oh, she didn’t have a choice, her and her idiot and I needed to have a chat.” Regina stopped working and Emma put down her glass of wine.

                “Why, they’re my archenemies, I should think you hadn’t even crossed paths with them,” Regina pointed out.

                “I’d rather not get into it before Henry’s birthday, you’d just get upset,” She told Regina. Emma sighed and came back with three entire bottles of open wine, passed them out, and drained her first glass, but she didn’t pour another just simply sat ready to drink straight from the bottle.

                “Regina that’s not for you to top off your glass,” Emma told her.

                 “You think I’ll drink out of this bottle like some animal?” Regina asked her incredulous.  Emma waved her off and turned to Maleficent.

                “All right throuple talk time, we’re honest with each other that’s the rule, this sounds emotional and secret, I get the feeling neither of us will like it. Now to catch you up on events we’re already pissed at whom we will only refer to as Henry’s sperm donor. He hit Regina with a paternity affidavit and me with a maternity affidavit through a subpoena and if we hadn’t found the one for paternity Regina would have been arrested by outside officers, and I would have also been arrested for not complying so we had to rush to get Henry to the lab in Portland and got back late. So, we’re already upset before Henry’s birthday.”

                “Emma’s right we’re already upset, you need our support just as much as you give yours to us,” Regina told her. She moved with her bottle and wine glass to the couch and Maleficent frowned before draining her glass.

                “Fine, but Emma’s also right you’re going to need the bottle,” Maleficent told her.

                “I am not an animal,” Regina told them both. “Come on now tell us what’s wrong?” Maleficent let out a breath.

                “Fine, but you both promise not to leave the room until I am done talking?” They looked at each other thinking why, would they leave but nodded. “This story goes back far into before the curse was cast.” They nodded. “So, I think it goes without saying that Regina and I had a pretty intense sexual relationship.”

                “Intense doesn’t cover that in the description,” Emma muttered. Regina nudged her and gave her a look. Emma held up her hands as if to say she was done.

                “Does Emma know you were….” Maleficent trailed off.  Regina nodded.

                “Emma knows I miscarried,” Regina told her. Maleficent nodded sadly.

                “And I’m sorry for your loss too,” Emma told her rubbing her back. Maleficent gave her a small smile.

                “It wasn’t as bad for me,” Maleficent told her. Regina looked surprised. “It was in the beginning, but by the time I noticed you’d really fallen off the darkness deep end and you were single minded in your pursuit. I wish I’d known the dark curse wasn’t so dark, I really would have made some other choices back then.”

                “Like what?” Regina asked. Maleficent let out a breath hoping Regina would get it. She looked at Regina for a long moment and an absolute look of shock, horror, and panic came over her. Regina downed her glass, and then chugged from the bottle. She took several deep breaths before she looked at Maleficent again while clutching the bottle and looking as if she might finish it and take Maleficent’s bottle for good measure. “Did I hurt you?” The question was a whisper.

                “No dear,” Maleficent answered.

                “I am clearly missing something here,” Emma said hoping they would clue her in.

                “Maleficent was pregnant, pregnancy in Dragons is different, they don’t usually get pregnant right away, their body could hold sperm for centuries if need be, but with the magical penis, sperm gets a lot stronger.”

                “And you thought a condom would stop it, and holy shit, I thought you only let her…so you would have….” Emma trailed off.

                “Wait, wait so is the egg still missing or what exactly?” Regina asked her scared. “And what do the Charmings have to do with it?”  Regina had so many questions and from Emma’s face, Maleficent could see that she did too.

                “All right one part of the way, the next part is where it gets heavy, as you know Regina you fought me for the curse back, no you didn’t hurt me any or the baby.” Regina nodded.

                “I thought you had given up way too easily and for a horse, but it wasn’t for the horse was it. You knew in your precarious early condition I could hurt you and I would never forgive myself.” Maleficent nodded.

                “I knew I couldn’t stop you from taking the spell, but I thought maybe if I could get the Charmings to go after you, you’d finally kill them, and the curse wouldn’t be necessary.”

                “But you didn’t know Rumple stopped me from doing that to make sure this was my only way,” Regina said. Maleficent nodded in confirmation.

                “Anyway, I approached them asking for help, I told them I was pregnant, which led to an adventure and the prophecy of sorts that made the Charmings think Emma would be evil. They ran wanted nothing to do with me and didn’t go attack you like I had hoped. I just had to pray your love for me would protect the baby and I, she would have been born four months before Emma.”

                “Great so my parents are cowards after all,” Emma sighed.

                “Worse dear, I heard nothing from them, Regina kept building her spell, and they didn’t send any direct attacks on her. Anyway, I nested I gave birth to our egg, and protected it in Dragon form, but I was weak, Ursula and Cruella were my guards as we’d had an unlikely truce. Well Ursula isn’t so bad, but you know Cruella’s crazy ass.” Regina nodded.

                “What did they do?” Regina asked tightly.

                “That’s the thing, they got passed Ursula and Cruella and took our egg. I wanted to fry them to death, but couldn’t without harming the baby, I wasn’t afraid I would burn it but if they dropped it or threw it...” Maleficent trailed off. “I pleaded with them to let the egg go, that it was just a child, and Snow promised they’d bring it back. Cruella and Ursula went after them, but no one ever came back not the Charmings, not Cruella, not Ursula, and certainly not our child in egg or baby form. I was hoping the baby got swept up in the curse, but she’s not here and the Charmings kept saying they had no idea, but I don’t believe them.”

                “Are you done talking?” Regina asked. Maleficent nodded as Regina stood up a dagger magically appearing in her hand. She walked out of the room and out of the house, clearly heading for the loft.

                “We’ll get answers from them, stay with Henry, he probably shouldn’t see Regina like this.” Maleficent nodded. Emma ran after Regina, and just caught her poofing into her parents loft. She ran up the stairs and pulled out her old key. When she got in Regina had set their bed on fire, David was hanging upside down by his balls it seemed.  Regina grabbed Snow by the throat and thrusted the dagger into her stomach. Snow was horrified and freaking out and screaming about her baby.

                “Your baby will be fine, as soon as you tell me what you did to my baby,” Regina told her.

                “Your baby, what baby, you miscarried I swear I never hurt you,” Snow cried. “Emma, please help.”

                “Regina, this isn’t the way please, I’m upset too, but we can talk about this,” Emma pleaded.

                “No, the dagger won’t be removed until she tells me, what did you do to my baby with Maleficent, you stole her egg, why, why would you promise to bring her back and never do that, she and I both deserve an explanation! I told you so many times not to promise something you don’t mean!”

                “Okay, okay please I will tell you Mother, please you’re hurting me,” Snow begged.

                “Regina please, if they tell you even a single lie you can put that dagger back in her after she gives birth, because that baby is innocent just like your child was or is.” Regina gripped the dagger hard, but she slowly pulled it out and Snow looked relieved to see there was no wound at all on her and she felt fine except for the fear in her body. David dropped to the floor and the fire died down on the charred bed. Emma turned on the lights as it got dark again and opened some windows to clear the smoke. Regina paced and allowed them to calm enough to speak. Snow sat in David’s arms shaking.

                “Well?” Regina asked them.

                “I really meant to bring it back,” Snow told her quietly as she cried. “I’m so ashamed of what happened honestly.”

                “What happened?” Emma asked frowning.

                “I kept having visions of you ripping out my heart, and it became known to us that you had great potential for Evil and Good, but I was terrified it would definitely be Evil.  We came across a man who said he could get rid of that potential evil,” Snow said.

                “How,” Regina said. “What did he do to my baby?” 

                “We didn’t think it was a baby, we thought it was a monster, already Evil you know, so what’s a little more. He said the Evil had to be put into another vessel.” Regina gripped the dagger hard.

                “You are such fucking idiots,” Regina said. “You tipped the scales on my child with bad luck, because nothing creates Evil faster is when only bad things happen to you and you are absent of hope.”

                “Well they must not have gotten rid of it all,” Emma grumbled as she glared at her parents in disgust.

                “We didn’t know it was a baby!” Snow cried. “We really meant to bring it back, but he said, something with so much Evil couldn’t stay in the Enchanted Forest. Next thing we knew he was opening a portal. Ursula and Cruella fell into the portal trying to get it. The light from the portal practically lit up the egg and I saw the baby inside. I don’t know what happened after that. I truly have no idea where your baby ended up.”

                “For your fucking sake, you better hope it’s okay,” Regina told her. “Henry doesn’t know anything about this yet, so you will show up and act like everything is all right you’ve been so good at that lately it shouldn’t be hard. I want his birthday perfect. Not one fucking tear I mean it. After that don’t you fucking even breathe in my direction.” Regina poofed home. Emma stood up.

                “Emma,” Snow said.

                “No, no I’m with Regina, tomorrow you act like it’s all right for Henry, but after that I am no longer talking to you either until Regina does. At best I will be by to see my sibling since I’m pretty sure it will be forever before she speaks to you. You can leave me notes about stuff about them otherwise I’m not speaking to you.” Emma left without another word.  When she got home Maleficent was full on bawling and Regina was promising she would find her one way or another.


	12. Chapter Twelve

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Holidays! I hope you enjoy the double chapter update for the end of the year.

Chapter Twelve

 

                “MOMS!” Henry yelled. He ran out of his room and as soon as he was on the stairs Regina shifted it, so he passed through different parts of the house, they could hear him screaming in delight as Regina was brewing their morning coffee in a cauldron on purpose. They were already dressed up in their robes. He put on his new generic robes that had been waiting for him. When the stairs appeared in the kitchen. He was grinning super hard at his moms.

                “This is so cool!” He yelled. He ran and hugged them all including Maleficent. Regina ladled coffee into their cups. Pumpkin juice into Henry’s before they sat down at the table.

                “Where’s the food?” Henry asked. Regina bent down to her plate.

                “French toast, sausage, and eggs please.” Her plate filled with food. Henry squealed as he ordered his special birthday pancakes. Emma and Maleficent ordered and they all dug into their meal.

                “Auntie Maleficent, what house are you?” Henry asked.

                “Oh, I am most definitely a Slytherin dear,” Maleficent told him grinning in her emerald robes. Henry smiled at her. After breakfast Henry ran around exploring the house and the changes.

                “Hey, are you all right?” Emma asked. “You didn’t sleep.”

                 “No, but it’s my baby boy’s birthday and he deserves, the happy me not the stressed, angry, or sad me. Once his birthday is over, I will revisit it.” Emma nodded and kissed her cheek.

                “I’m sorry I am related to people like that,” Emma told her. Regina let out a breath.

                “They’re an incubator and a sperm donor right now,” Regina told her. Emma chuckled.

                “We need something else for Neal,” Emma murmured.

                “I like dick swab, but I can’t very well say that in front of Henry,” Regina grumbled. Emma chuckled. They finished the kitchen and Henry got to open his presents from them.

                “It’s a crystal so you can always call your moms even across realms me too if you like,” Maleficent told him. Henry grinned.

                “That means even if that sperm donor tried to hop realms, we’d find you.” Henry nodded happily.  

                “From me, kid,” Emma said. “Well actually I got you two gifts, but one was from before I started dating your mom so sorry.” Henry looked confused as he opened the big gift first.

                “Street hockey really?” Henry asked her. “Mom, I’m not that kind of boy.”

                “Oh, come on it could be fun, and I think I heard Caleb talking about hockey.”

                 “Fine, I’ll attempt your game Mother,” He told her. Regina chuckled before he opened the second one from Emma, that went over much better as it was Nintendo Switch.

                “Now we can play some of my old favorites together,” She grinned. Henry excitedly opened Regina’s present next, it was a robotic arm that he had to build.

                “COOL! I’m going to make it turn off my lamp and alarm,” Henry grinned.

                “Sounds wonderful dear, I’m glad you like it.” He nodded. “And your second present a scheduled food tour of Boston and New York, four days in each city, nothing but food.” Henry’s mouth fell open as he saw the list of places, at the top were two Korean BBQ restaurants.

“You’re the best mom ever,” He cried.

“I should have known to get food, it’s always food with these two,” Emma grumbled to Maleficent, who out right laughed.  After presents, they played the switch until it was lunch time and that is when the sound of a train sent Henry running outside to see a school bus turned Hogwarts express arrive with his friends. He freaked out as they all hurried onto the train that took them to the arcade. Where Regina sorted them in a great hall, and purple magic surrounded them in their house robes. They had lunch and afterwards opened their party favors for their wands. After they’d had fun dueling and finding out the magic would last a few weeks before it was just a normal stick of wood that represented them, it was time for the real surprise.

                “All right guys, the real surprise now,” Emma announced. They all crowded around ready for more magic.

                “Each of you is not to take off your ties, I was able to replicate the potion Mr. Gold used, if you take off your tie over the line, you’ll be cursed again. But if you keep it on you can safely enjoy your first trip rollerblading,” Regina told them.  There was cheering and jumping, and their parents saw them off on the now school bus painted like the Hogwarts express, Regina kicked out Caleb’s older boyfriend.

                “Eleven to Twelve-year old’s’ only,” She told him. “You’re too old.” He growled but he wasn’t stupid enough to take on the Evil Queen and Maleficent who was right next to her. He walked away. They were just about to pull off when Neal stood in front of the bus.

                “Oh no,” Emma groaned as she went off ahead of Regina who was likely to murder Neal.

                “What do you want?” Emma asked him, pulling him away from the bus so the kids couldn’t hear.

                “My son, you think you would have mentioned that today was his birthday or that you were taking him out of town.”

                “I don’t owe you any explanation for where Regina takes Henry, and you’d know it was his birthday if you were a decent fucking human being. But you’re not and he doesn’t want you here. He’s been having a great day so far so if you could just go that would be great.” Neal shoved passed her and went towards the bus calling Henry’s name. He knocked on the window behind trying to get him to get off the bus. Emma shook her head and got on the bus motioning for the driver to go.  Henry didn’t look at him as Regina distracted the children by turning the interior to look like they were in the horse drawn carriage for Beauxbatons.  They crossed the town line without problems to the relief of the children and the driver. David and Snow sat in the back being the perfect grandparents and chaperones in their own robes.

                “Oh, I thought for sure I’d turn to dust,” Maleficent commented.

                “No, like I said some weird shit went down that night,” Ruby laughed from up front. She was not missing out on a trip out of town. They made it to Portland where all the kids eagerly grabbed Roller skates.  Caleb and Henry of course stuck together. Emma guided Regina out and once she had her balance, Maleficent too. Soon they were skating together.

                “Oh my God we’re such a throuple,” Emma groaned when the DJ told them all to grab someone’s hand and somehow Emma ended up in the middle between them. Maleficent and Regina chuckled before Maleficent grabbed onto the back of Ruby in need of her speed.

                “What are you thinking about?” Emma asked.

                “My child, my heart hurts Emma, the not knowing is the worst part.”

                “I know what you mean,” Emma murmured. Not knowing if Henry was happy was hard on her too. “But you know we’ll find them, finding people is what I do.” Regina nodded.

                “I’m hoping to get that globe from Gold, he won’t give it up without a deal, and I imagine he will do anything for his son, so that means Henry is the only bargaining chip we have.” Emma grimaced.

                 “Can we steal it?” Emma asked.

                “We can try, but no one has successfully ever stolen from Gold,” Regina told her. “Maybe, maybe Maleficent can make the deal, she can’t promise him anything to do with Henry.” Emma nodded.

                “We will just have to see, how did you make the potion though, no way he gave you the recipe.”

                “Ah well, the thing is a lot of my book learning comes from Mother not that he knows it, she always did want me to do magic, but I just couldn’t. I think I feared her too much and didn’t want it enough. But never stopped her from trying to force my magic, by poisoning me or something. At some point I could smell the different ingredients in a potion. I may not have been good at her kind of magic as a child, but I am a master potion maker. Gives me ideas for something permanent.”

                “You’re amazing, you know that, and I’m sorry your mother was an abusive bitch.”

                “Me too, but she’s not here anymore,” Regina said turning and skating backwards.

                “Oooh look at you, learning fast,” Emma cheered. Regina gave her a huge smile the first genuine one that wasn’t directed at Henry that day.  They passed by the Charmings who were watching them, and Snow looked teary eyed. Regina smiled at her like everything was so fine, as a reminder not to ruin Henry’s birthday party. Towards the end of the party, they brought out a cake and sang Happy Birthday. He blew out his candles. They cheered.  Soon though on the way home all the children passed out and Ruby was curiously wondering why Charmings were sitting away from Regina and Emma. They should have been talking their ears off.

                “Later,” Emma told Ruby when she made to ask. Back in Storybrooke each child sleepily climbed off the Hogwarts Express with a mini trunk full of goodies as their friends waved to them. Regina switched their ties out, so they didn’t get into any trouble. Emma carried Henry inside as he was exhausted followed by Maleficent and Regina. She was only two steps up the stairs when Regina had a fireball in hand and Maleficent also looked ready to attack. The downstairs light came on.

                “You’ve come into my house unannounced for the last time,” Regina told Neal.

                “Put your fireball away Regina, we were merely waiting to give my grandson his present,” Gold told her.  Henry was awake now as Emma had turned to see what the threat was.

                “He’s not your grandson,” Regina told him annoyed as her fireball did go out. They would be leaving her house unfortunately Gold wouldn’t let Neal be turned to ashes and she needed him for that fucking globe.

                “I don’t want anything from you,” Henry told them from Emma’s arms.

                “What the hell the kid is twelve Emma, you can’t hold him you’ll turn him gay,” Neal said as his eyes fell on Henry.

                “I’ll carry my son to bed if I like, just get out of here Neal, he’s told you himself he doesn’t want anything you have to give him,” Emma told him.

                “Oh, come on I got you a puppy.” He pushed a cage forward with a large bull mastiff inside who was growling at Neal now.

                “We have cats already you can’t just bring a big dog in here,” Henry told him.

                “Don’t worry the cats are no longer a problem,” Neal told him. “Cats turn boys gay, so I got rid of them.” Gold looked at his son like he didn’t know him anymore.

                “You killed his cats?” Gold asked him.

                “Sassy!” Henry cried. He got down and before Regina could stop him. He was crying when they got there. All the cats were dead.

                “That son of a bitch,” Regina growled as she pulled Henry away for now. Emma went back and was about to attack Neal, Gold froze her.

                “I see this is about to escalate, can I talk you out of a magic fight?” He asked. Regina knew he knew that one way or another one of them would get around him and take Neal out. And either one of them could keep him occupied.

                 “Yes, we want the globe you used to find Neal,” Regina told him.

                “Why?” He asked suspiciously.

                “To right a past wrong that’s all you need to know, otherwise, I’ve got a lot of pent up energy today,” Regina said a large fire ball appearing.

                “Fine, but you will return it when you are done, this is a loan,” He said.

                “I guess you’re on borrowed time,” Maleficent told Neal as she glared at him. “Get out of our home now.” Neal got out but not before Henry gave him a good kick in the balls. The globe appeared in Maleficent’s hands before Gold took Neal away.

                “I can’t believe him,” Emma said as she got unfrozen. “He hates dogs and he brought an angry one to the house and kills the cats.” Regina moved to get rid of the dog, but it whimpered at her and she saw blood.

                “Did he hurt you too?” Regina asked the dog.

                “Regina be careful it seemed pretty vicious earlier.” Regina carefully unlocked the chain on the kennel and let the dog sniff her. She coaxed him out with some dog food that he ate at hungrily and she could see he had been hit a few times.

                “Poor puppy,” Henry said when Emma allowed him to slowly approach. Regina healed him and he licked her face.

                “Eww okay, okay I get it you’re welcome,” Regina grumbled as Henry giggled.

                “Can we keep him?” Henry asked. “Since sperm donor took my kitties and hurt him, he needs a good home now.”

                “I suppose if he behaves himself and bites sperm donor,” Regina said.

“Oh, he’s definitely going to bite him, I’ll make sure of it,” Maleficent told her. “Now come let’s give Sassy and the others a proper burial.” Henry nodded and followed Maleficent. The dog didn’t move until Regina did Emma noted. Once outside they picked a spot underneath Regina’s rose bushes and Emma dug the holes.  They made headstones on some rocks Regina found in the garden, and Henry said a few words in tears.

“Come on Hank you can sleep with me, so I don’t miss Sassy,” Henry told the dog.

“Hank?” They all asked. Henry shrugged.

“Hank is huge,” He said as if that explained it all. They all thought about it.

“All right, I see you,” Emma told him. “Hank fits.”

“If you weren’t the kid,” Regina told him. “Come on let’s get inside, we have to talk.”

“About what?” Henry asked.

“Right now?” Emma asked.

“Yes, I don’t imagine that we’ll be able to keep it too long, better to do this now then later,” Regina said. Emma nodded. She just didn’t want to upset Henry even more, especially since it involved his grandparents. Regina to her credit though wasn’t about to blow his world view up and left out any part of the Charmings.

“So, I have a brother or a sister out there?” Henry asked after they had all sat in silence letting him process that information.

“Most likely a sister,” Maleficent told him.

“Yay my wish came true!” Henry yelled. “And you are a throuple, now you’ll be my mom too.” Emma remained silent feeling a little put out.

“No, I’m your Auntie Maleficent, even if we’re like an odd throuple your moms are your moms and they’re a couple before we’re a throuple,” Maleficent told him gently.

“Aww, but I like you all better as a throuple,” He pouted.

“Henry we’re all here, we’re all family that’s what matters not our couple or throuple status,” Regina told him. “Anyway, I told you this because we’re on borrowed time, we don’t know where he or she is, and we also need to be prepared for the worst-case scenarios like death or them not being in this realm. So, I want you to try to get a good night’s sleep despite your Sperm donor’s actions, just think about the good time you had today and how we’ve liberated Hank from his prison with sperm donor. And how sweet it felt to kick him in the balls, perfect form by the way.”

“You’re not mad even though you said it was self-defense only?” Henry asked.

“As far as I’m concerned you saved Hank and kicked an intruder out of our home.” They all nodded their agreement.

“Okay moms, Auntie.” He hugged them both. “And I know we’ll find my sister safe.” They smiled at him for his hope, and Regina sent him up to get ready for bed.

 “What now?” Emma asked.

 “We make plans to go on our search, I’ll have to get Kathryn to help Carol on such short notice, but she won’t mind at all,” Regina said.

“I’ll ask Ruby about supervising David; I obviously can’t trust him.”  Regina nodded grateful that Emma was coming with them.

“Thank you for coming with us,” Regina said. Emma gave her a small smile.

“I wouldn’t dream of abandoning you, when I told you about my pregnancy, you were ready to go hunt them down in foster care and adopt them so that they could know their family. You didn’t even know him, and you were already treating him as if he were Henry lost. You will always have that kind of love and support from me in return.” Regina hugged Emma tightly and gave her a kiss.              

“So how does this globe work?” Maleficent asked.

“The way he explained it is, if our blood relation is anywhere in this world this globe will lead us to them. This is how we were unfortunately able to locate Neal in New York, before we knew exactly who he was,” Regina explained. Maleficent nodded and after being assured the point wasn’t poisoned or something, she pricked her finger. They held their breath as it took a few seconds before a blood line led from Maine all the way to New York and a second line split towards Washington D.C.

“Twins?” Emma asked.

“Unlikely in the same shell,” Maleficent told her. “Sadly, we may only be tracing Cruella and Ursula. If you know you can use the magic of a dragon egg to sustain you and that is usually fatal.”  Regina rubbed her head at the prospect of finding out her child was dead.

 “Great so first we kill them, and then we go after the Charmings as soon as the baby is born because that’s what I promised Emma.”

“Let’s not give up hope, maybe there is still time, maybe one of them was honorable and took the baby away to hide or maybe the impossible happened.” They nodded.

“I need to go fly, I need to mentally prepare myself for this, I can’t believe after so long I may finally know what happened.” They hugged her in understanding. Once Maleficent was off flying Regina locked up the house and Hank as big as he was just padded along behind her.

“I’ll be up in a second, I just need to check something,” Emma told Regina.

“All right babe,” Regina replied. She checked on Henry who even though had a few tears in his eyes had still managed to fall asleep. She kissed his forehead and tucked him in. She conjured up a big bed for Hank in Henry’s room and he settled down on it. Regina left out to her own room. Downstairs Emma was sighing as she pulled out the documents she had planned on presenting to her family at breakfast to go through with adoption, it was very clear to her it would make her family happy and now that she had Henry back and didn’t have to explain to him why she had to let him go, she too was feeling comfortable with the idea. But now they potentially had that baby girl they were both looking forward too.  Emma let a few tears fall as she ripped up the papers, they didn’t know if the kid had hatched or not, but she was betting it didn’t in this land without magic which meant a new born baby, which meant no room to expand the family with Emma. She would eventually be pushed out she was sure. She was always pushed out.

“Emma?” Regina called coming into the room. Emma looked up and turned towards the door. She hadn’t realized she’d been down here long enough to make Regina come back for her. She could see that Regina had clearly been crying too and Emma had been down here thinking about herself, she completely forgot about Regina in that moment. “Are you all right?”

“Yes, yes, I’m sorry I kept you waiting when you needed me,” Emma said starting towards her. Regina stopped her though and went to her.

“Maybe I’m sorry for not talking more to you, you need me,” Regina pointed out. Emma shook her head furiously, but Regina didn’t believe her. She investigated the waste basket. Emma tried to stop her, but it was too late, she should have been smarter about where she had thrown that away.  “Oh babe…”

“I know, and it’s okay I get it you know, there will probably be a baby here soon, and you’ll have your complete family, and I…”

“Oh my God you’re such an idiot,” Regina told her. “I love you; my own child has their own place in my heart and it’s not your place. You are going to be that child’s mother too. It is going to love the crap out of you like Henry loves Maleficent and she loves him back. Don’t you think that kind of thing will come back to you as well?” Emma shook her head. “We may be this weird ass throuple, but we’re a couple and having another child with you is something that I would very much like to do with you because you’re a great mother and co-parent and I know you’ll fight just as hard to protect them. I cannot ask for better in a partner be you one half of our partnership, or a third of our weird ass throuple.” Emma chuckled and hugged Regina tightly.

“How did we get in a weird ass throuple?”

“I’m not sure, but all these children are going to have so much love they’ll be sick of it. Now come on to bed, we must attempt to rest, we have a drive to Portland Airport, I don’t wanna waste time on a drive.” Emma nodded. Regina waved her hand over the paper and put them on her desk. “One thing at a time, we get our kid, we defeat sperm donor, and then we get another kid.  They deserve stability after all.”

“You’re right about everything,” Emma told her. Regina smiled back at her.

“I’m always right, Ms. Swan, now come to bed idiot.” They went upstairs and Emma checked in and saw that Hank was now burrowed under the covers with Henry. 93

“Oh, you’re not even vicious you’re a big teddy bear,” Emma teased Hank. He licked her hand when she came to kiss Henry goodnight and she patted him on the head.

“I think sperm donor had him dog fights or something, he’s got a lot of scars.”

“Ugh that asshole, I swear, you learn a lot about a person from how they treat animals. He literally ranks higher than you on the bad guy scale now.” Regina gasped.         

“Take that back Ms. Swan,” Regina said.

“I’m sorry Regi, but you are good to animals and that says a lot about you. Although he’ll never have your style or flare. He’ll never be as infamous as you.”

“I suppose I’ll have to accept that,” Regina grumbled. She got into bed and watched Emma get changed. They cuddled and watched Maleficent fly by the window every now and again, but neither of them got any real sleep or for very long.


	13. Chapter Thirteen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Double Update! Go back to Chapter Twelve

 

Chapter Thirteen

“Oh, shit what about Hank?” Emma asked as Regina poured coffee into three thermoses. Tea in a fourth for Henry. “We can’t leave him, and I really don’t think he’s trusting enough of anyone else in this time.” Regina waved her hand.

“That should allow him to travel,” Regina said as some papers appeared. She made breakfast and packed it away.

“What, not arguing for the bug?” Regina asked as she got their bags in the trunk of her car.

“No, I haven’t been able to drive the stupid thing except at work because of Sperm donor. Once I confronted him about the past, and I handed him back that keychain finally and I just looked at the bug and knew that my attachment to it was over. Yes, it was a constant we’ve been through a lot together,  but I realized that the entire reason I never let the bug go, but didn’t care enough to get it fixed up more frequently was because it was all I had that made Sperm donor real. You can’t imagine how well he dropped off the face of the earth. I searched and searched because I needed answers badly for why, why he had abandoned me. I couldn’t ask my parents you know, but him I knew him. And it was like he was just as gone as my parents.”

“I get it, I still kept Daniel’s ring, because it was all I had. My mother purged him from the estate after she killed him. I was lucky to even have a body to try to revive back then. But unfortunately, dead is dead as they say.”

“Yeah so now I’m at a crossroads about what to do with this car,” Emma said.

“You said he stole it to begin with?” Regina asked. “But you’ve never been stopped with it or anything?” Emma shook her head.

“Pure luck though I think,” Emma said as they walked back inside.

“Hmm…we’ll worry about it later,” Regina murmured before she went to Henry and got him to the car where he promptly fell back asleep on Hank who sat in the middle. Maleficent eventually joined them. They drove first to Carol who was on her way out for their run.  She called Kathryn herself and told them, they’d best head out already. They stopped at the diner, where Ruby and Granny looked at them horrified to hear what Snow and David had done.

“That’s like if someone just assumed, I was evil,” Ruby said shaking her head. “Of course, I will cover your shifts, Ashley will help out Granny if she can bring Alex, which never is a problem around here.” 

“Thanks Rubes, you’re the best,” Emma told her before she hugged them both. Granny went outside and told Regina and Maleficent that if it was indeed a baby they brought back, she wanted to be called ahead of time with the name for a blanket. That made them all leave with a smile before Regina also made sure Ruby knew she now outranked David and was in charge as he could not be trusted. They left and Regina was glad Maleficent didn’t violently throw up like Gold, but Maleficent hadn’t eaten. They made their way to Portland Airport only to find that all flights were grounded because of a computer glitch.

“Traffic out of the city is a bitch right now and it is rush hour,” Emma commented.

“What about a train?” Henry asked as he was watching Harry Potter on his phone.

“Not a bad idea. It’s still shorter than the car trip and only an hour more than by plane,” Regina commented as she searched on her phone. They made their way to the train station where Regina managed to secure tickets for them all and a pass for Hank. They boarded the train and closed their compartment door.

“Six more hours and we can start getting some answers,” Maleficent sighed.

“I wish I had known I would have tortured her more during the curse; you should have told me as soon as you were back.” Maleficent shrugged.

“I didn’t want to ruin what you had, when you finally see someone you love happy, you don’t kill that for them.

“I’m still happy, just also feeling a lot of other emotions right now,” Regina told her. “But none of them effect Emma.”

“Why would it effect mom?” Henry asked suddenly taking off his headphones.

“Kid, not cool on eavesdropping,” Emma told him from where she was playing on his handheld game. Regina was seriously thinking about getting her, her own for her birthday soon.

“Sorry, but why would you be effected, you said you wanted the baby too,” Henry frowned. “Do you not want it?”

“No, kid you’re misreading the situation, this has nothing to do with me not wanting the baby.” She looked at Regina who nodded. “This has to do with my parents, you see the reason why we had to use magic to find your baby brother or sister is because my parents gave them all my potential Evil and then it got sent through a portal in their egg to here.” Henry’s mouth dropped open.

“No, they’re the heroes why would they do that to a baby?” Henry asked.

“They have many excuses kid, but sometimes being the Hero and the Villain isn’t so black and white as your book let on. This is the real world and in the real-world people have gray areas, although this incident put them in the black. Maleficent was just worried that when Regina found out she would be so angry at my parents that it would affect us but turns out I am just as angry at my parents. We’re no longer speaking to them, but of course they are your grandparents and have not done anything to hurt you, so we have agreed that it is your choice as well.”

“I don’t know I need to think about it, I also think I need to talk to them myself and see if the baby is all right.” He frowned.

“I think that is very reasonable my prince, you’re old enough to come to your own conclusions about an event and to seek the truth.” He nodded but he did give Maleficent a big hug and tell her she hadn’t ruined anything and that his grandparents did need to be punished even if it was just not speaking to their family for a while.

“Wait Mom are you sick?” Henry asked Regina who now had her book out, Maleficent had the same as well, as she was going to join Kathryn’s new book club with Regina, Belle, and Granny so far.

“Why would you think I was sick?” Regina asked him with a frown.

“Because Grandma and Grandpa aren’t dead, dying, or at least crying that you are Evil,” Henry pointed out. “You protect me so fiercely I can’t imagine you not doing the same for this baby.” Regina had to give him a smile.

“I may have had a little evil setback, but Emma pulled me back,” Regina admitted. “And I think your grandparents know they messed up big time, so that’s why they aren’t screaming that I am evil. For once they know they deserve it, and in any case we’re in an awkward truce where I spare their life until Snow has her baby, if your brother or sister is dead, and then I am going to kill them very very slowly. I’m really sorry to have to disappoint you like that, but um…yeah that’s where I am at right now.”

“Why are you waiting to my Uncle or Aunt is born seems too nice of you,” Henry pointed out.

“Because that’s what I promised Emma,” Regina replied.

“Ah okay now it makes sense, you aren’t nice, just in love,” Henry said. He turned to Emma. “Why are you okay with her killing Grandma and Grandpa?”

“I’m not, but my hope meter is full that we can work this out in a way other than killing, like maybe we just take the baby, she’ll be devastated.”

“She’d still get to watch it grow up from afar,” Regina pointed out. “No thanks.”

 “Okay but if we wait and you kill them, we’d still have to take the baby,” Emma pointed out. “Like do you wanna raise her baby?”

“Well it wouldn’t be her baby any more than would it?” Regina asked her.

“Okay, and when the baby grows up what are you going to say about where they came from?” Emma asked.

“The truth that they kidnapped my baby and killed it, and so I kidnapped their baby and loved them, but chose to slowly murder their parents,” Regina replied. “And that they and you their sister are the start of a new era of Charmings that aren’t a complete pair of self-centered idiots.”

“You see this is what I am fighting, we’re not even in a physical fight, which now I’m not even sure I could have ever truly won, I’m not sure how to stop her,” Emma told Henry.

“Mom if you love us, you won’t kill them.” Regina glared at her son.

“Low blow,” Regina told him. He shrugged. “I deserve some sort of retaliation though. Maybe I should make her barren and still take the baby.”

“Okay, okay could be less awful,” Emma pointed out. “I think, I think I will allow this, because I’m pretty sure they’re going to start acting like little rabbits.”

“What does that mean?” Henry asked.

“Producing too many children and we won’t be able to keep up with stamping out the idiocy from the world,” Maleficent told them.

“We could probably thin the herd a bit, only the strong survive, I bet one will be stupid enough to go into….” Regina paused. “You know what never mind.” Emma chuckled and sent her a text that said she’d almost called Henry a complete idiot for going into the mines. Regina sent her back a text with an emoji flipping her off.

“Mom I’m hungry,” Henry said three hours into their journey.

“We can go to the food cart.” They went to the food cart; Hank thankfully was still being the perfect boy. But just in case they shook their head at overzealous children saying that Hank was nervous on his first train ride. They grabbed some sandwiches and drinks before returning to their compartment. Hank sat with his head in Regina’s lap as she absently petted him and read her book. They made a transfer stop in Concord two hours in, so they were on the last leg of their journey. In New York, they headed straight for the address, Emma was grateful Regina had thought to pack their camping backpacks so that their arms were free. Hank pulled on his leash a little too much, but they managed to keep it under control as Regina made a note to sign up for dog training classes.

                “Here it is an aquarium?” Emma asked.

                “Ursula,” Regina and Maleficent said at the same time. They went inside and managed to be directed to the maintenance lady.

                “What do you want?” She asked them, turning around. Her eyes went wide when she saw them.

                “How…how did you get here?” Ursula whispered.

                “That is unimportant, what is important is where my child is,” Maleficent told her. She gulped.

                “Come with me.” They followed her to shabby apartment in the back of the aquarium.

                “Well?” Regina asked pulling out her dagger when she didn’t see any signs of a child. It was long and sharp, and Ursula knew she would probably be no match for her in her state.

                “I want the full story,” Maleficent told her.

                 “After we fell through the portal we landed here in this land without magic, it was God awful back then, still is now. Cruella and I sanded off dust from the egg and kept our youth, that was fine until about five years ago, the egg moved. I realized that the egg wasn’t dead. I didn’t want to take anymore at least not until we managed to hatch it somehow. Cruella thought she could harness enough magic to get home. She disappeared with the egg that night, I don’t know where she’s gone with it. But I swear I thought it had died.”

                “But you’re sure it moved that time,” Maleficent asked. Ursula nodded. They turned to go, so that meant the Washington DC line was their child, it had merely traced the magical remnants that were left in Ursula.

                “Wait please take me back, I’ll do whatever you want, I’ll help you track down Cruella if you like and kill her,” Ursula said. “But please do not leave me to rot here.”

                 “We’ll think about it on our way back, your punishment can be waiting to know if we come back for you or not,” Regina told her. Ursula sighed and nodded. They left. They stopped for a meal while Emma looked up the second address in Washington DC and Regina looked up the fastest way to DC. The plane would be, but like Portland, they were still fixing their computer glitches, which meant planes were delayed or being taken to other airports. The train was the next best option, it cut two hours off their trip. So, they went back to Grand Central Station, and got on the train after eating. On that journey they mostly slept.

                “It’s nighttime should we confront her in the day light?” Emma asked.

                “No, definitely not, we’ve waited long enough,” Regina said. We need to leave Hank though somewhere, no telling how much of her magic she has access too, with how much she’s taken off. And she’ll turn him against us.” Emma nodded.

                “I’ll call a rental place.” Emma got a rental car, and they parked it around the block with Hank inside with an entire bag of treats and he was also in the kennel in the back. Henry was to sit up front and be on the lookout for them running back away from vicious dogs. They approached the house together. They knocked on the door and a servant answered.

                 “We’d like to see the lady of the house,” Regina told them. “Immediately.” They gulped and let her in.  The servant hurried towards the dining room.

                “Oh, don’t tell me you’ve been finally trapped here too,” She said when they appeared at the door. “And who’s your new pet?”

                “She’s not a pet, where’s our baby?” Regina asked her. Cruella rolled her eyes.

                “Currently being a pain in my ass, and not giving me the power, I need to get out of here,” She said.

                “If you wanna get home we can get you there, we got here, so just give us the egg or baby, whichever form they are in,” Emma said. Cruella stood up.

                “Deal,” She said. She took them to a room where the egg was nearly transparent. They could see their child was moving around inside just as they entered the room. “I sanded off all I could, and now I need the remains of the shell, but I still couldn’t break it. Not that it matters now.”

                “Oh, my baby,” Maleficent cried.

                “Great, we’ll pick you up in the morning,” Regina told her. They gathered the egg up and took it away. Regina hoped she followed them to Storybrooke, because when she did, she was going to kill that bitch for what she had done. She unfortunately couldn’t afford to do it out here for Henry’s sake, but she was a patient woman. Cruella would follow them desperate to get home and get her magic.

                “I have decided we will take Ursula back with us, if only so she can tell Cruella and I can kill her without consequence in Storybrooke for Henry’s sake,” Regina told them.

                “Let me burn her,” Maleficent said.

                “Of course, dear.” Back in the car Henry looked excited at the egg, and they drove to Baltimore. From there they were able to get a plane back to Portland. Regina sent Ursula a note with directions.

                “When will they hatch,” Henry asked.

                “Perhaps in Storybrooke,” Regina commented. The egg started to rock violently in her arms.

                “Or now,” Maleficent said. “We need some place private.” Emma found the nearest hotel and got them a room quickly. Inside the room an arm broke through and then a leg as Henry filmed it with his phone in excitement.

                “Come on baby sister you can do it.” A piece of egg flew out and hit him in the forehead. “Ow.”

                “I think he doesn’t like being a girl,” Regina told him as Maleficent gently lifted him from the remains of his egg. He had Regina’s brown eyes, but that was Maleficent’s blond hair on his head and her face for sure. He was covered in egg goo too.

                “Oh, my Dragon Prince, you’re finally home with Mama,” She whispered kissing his head. Regina took her turn holding him too and crying that he was super beautiful, and Henry held him.  And last Emma tentatively held him and when he gave her a big smile and coo, she was bawling.

                “Oh, we need supplies how is he going to eat?” Regina asked.

                “My body should adjust properly when we are back in Storybrooke, but for now we will need formula.

                “What’s his name going to be?” Henry asked later after they had gotten him clothes, diaper, car seat, and some formula for the road. He refused it though not liking it. Now Henry was sitting up front with Emma and somehow Hank even though it wasn’t safe for Hank to be there, but with the car seat there was no room. Regina planned on researching for a bigger car.

                “Magnus, because he is going to be a great Dragon, aren’t you my Dragon Prince,” Maleficent told him. He smiled at her his eyes lighting up. Regina couldn’t help but smile at him too and kiss his little hand. She was glad that because he was part Dragon, he could already return smiles.

                “Magnus Emmanuel after Emma,” Regina said. Maleficent nodded.

                “Preferably Emmanuel Magnus, so it’s Emmanuel the great later, rather than the great Emmanuel, it implies one is a complete poser and my baby is anything but. But I want to call him Magnus though.”

                “I love it.”  Emma wiped away tears happy to be included.

                “Me too!” Henry agreed.

                “Last name?” Emma asked.

                “I suppose since I don’t technically have one, Mills,” Maleficent said. “Besides won’t all the children be Mills?”

                “Maybe I like Mills- Swan,” Emma said.

                “Eww Emma don’t scar our children like that,” Regina said. Emma chuckled.

                “Yeah they’ll probably be Mills, Swan is the name of people that give children back and we’re not that kind of family.”

                “It’s also the name of a strong and brave savior don’t forget,” Regina told her. She whispered to Magnus that sometimes they needed to remind Emma of how awesome she was. Emma couldn’t help but smile at her family. When they made it home, Emma was on baby duty while Regina and Maleficent spent an hour making up the nursery with magic. When they walked in it was positively a little dragon cave. Emma noted plenty of room for the entire family to sleep in the room with the baby if they liked. Magnus gave a hungry cry and Maleficent was able to nurse him. They left her to have some alone time with him though Regina was itching to stay. She however focused her attention on Henry and getting him to bed at such a late hour.

                “Go to them if you want,” Emma told Regina.

                “They’re already asleep, and I’m gonna stay here with you. Don’t worry, he won’t stay in his little cave for long, nurseries are for show.” Emma chuckled as she remembered Henry saying that he had slept with Regina up until he realized about the curse so had no qualms sleeping next to her at the loft.

                “We’re going to need a bigger bed.” Regina nodded.

                “But right now, I think there is just enough room for us to reconnect,” Regina said kissing Emma slowly. Emma kissed her back just as slowly. They enjoyed themselves quietly as they just needed to feel one another after the high emotional stress of the last few days.

                “Ms. Swan don’t you tease me,” Regina growled in a low voice. Emma grinned between her legs as she played with a nipple as well. It didn’t long until Regina bit her lip so hard, she drew blood to keep from screaming out Emma’s name. Regina didn’t even care about her lip as she made sure Emma had to cover her mouth with a pillow in the end.

 

 

 

 

                “Good night dear?” Maleficent asked when Regina had come in, in the early morning, needing to snuggle her Dragon Prince.

                “Very,” Regina replied as she lifted her son from Maleficent’s arms. She missed him immediately but was content to see her baby in his mother’s arms. Regina kissed his cheek and took him to his changing table. She had him in a fresh cloth diaper now before giving him his shiny pacifier.

                “You get some more rest; I know he was feeding around the clock hungrily.” Maleficent grinned.

                “How would you know?” Maleficent asked.

                “I know babies,” Regina said. “Don’t worry he’ll be fine for a bit.” Maleficent nodded and went to crawl into bed with Emma who immediately snuggled up commenting about how warm it was. Regina chuckled thinking about how in mid-July she’d had to tell them both to go away and sleep in the guest rooms.  She conjured up a long a bit of fabric and used it to create a wrap, so he slept peacefully on her chest while she made breakfast and switched Maleficent to a morning tea rather than a coffee.

                “Oh, you’re hungry already,” Regina said she could feel him rooting around. “Sorry Magnus, but Mommy does not have milk available, we’ll go to Mama.” Regina started towards the stairs when in a flourish of blue magic, he was in a nursing position and her shirt and bra were gone. Her eyes went wide as he did in fact nurse from her.

                “Should I be concerned that you’re wearing the baby topless?” Emma asked walking into the kitchen looking refreshed from a night of sex, but also wanting for her coffee.

                “Emma the baby is nursing from me.”

                “Oh cool, that you get to experience that too,” Emma said.

                “No, Emma I didn’t wake up like this he just made it happen, including the toplessness.” Emma who was just sipping her coffee spit it out with a cough.

                “He what, just like that.” Regina nodded as she took a seat and just tried to relax this was new for her, she never imagined she’d ever get to nurse her own baby, but that’s what Magnus was her baby. Regina at least managed to magic on a nursing shirt and bra. Magnus seemed annoyed by the lack of skin contact though so Regina ended up in just the nursing bra.

                “Demanding little Dragon Prince aren’t you,” Regina commented.

                “Just like his mommy,” Emma chuckled. “Why don’t I take him when you’re done, and you can go grab a shower?”  Regina smiled at her and nodded. Emma needed some bonding time with him too. Once he was satisfied, he happily went to Emma who put him in a bounce chair and made faces at him while she ate her breakfast. Regina got her shower, she was drying her hair and brushing it when a scream filled the house.  Maleficent who was up again and taking her own shower popped her head out of the shower.

                “Is that Emma?” Maleficent asked. Regina turned off the blow dryer.

                 “Regina, Maleficent help me!” Emma screamed. They both went rushing out of the bathroom. Maleficent just barely grabbed a towel for Henry’s benefit more than anything. But she’d already caught him walking from his bathroom naked with no qualms.  When they got downstairs Emma was on the couch balling with the baby in her arms and her torso was naked. Henry was looking super startled.

                “He got you too?” Regina asked. Emma nodded as she cried. “Why is he doing this, I didn’t have milk, this was all you and Maleficent.”

                “I guess he’s got a big appetite, and is impatient,” Maleficent said shrugging. Regina had already told her how he’d gotten her.

                “Can someone please cover me, at least, Henry stop looking at me!” Henry shoved his hands onto his face.

                “Sorry Ma,” He said. Regina gave Emma a nursing bra and a nursing cover.  She conjured up a nursing pillow and Emma just got settled in now that she was feeling less exposed. He made it very clear that he would be nursing from her when she had tried to pull him off her nipple at the beginning.

                “Here babe, watch Nascar I recorded it for you,” Regina told her patting her head sympathetically. Emma nodded. “Maybe we can try something later to keep from feeding off you if you don’t want it.” Emma nodded.

                “We can try but that jerk magically held onto me earlier when I tried to pull him off,” Emma complained.

                “All we can do is try,” Regina said. Emma nodded.

                “Since he scared me can I have onion rings for lunch?” Emma asked.

                “No, I’m sorry if he’s nursing from you then he’s getting nutrients from you as well,” Regina told her. Emma pouted. “But chocolate has antioxidants so I’m sure I can make chocolate fudge cake” Emma’s face lit up and she nodded.

                “I hope my boobs are safe,” Henry laughed covering his chest. Maleficent threw a pillow at him and he laughed some more.

                “Regina tickle him until he begs for mercy,” Emma ordered.

“On it!” Regina declared with a nod. Henry laughed as Regina chased him until she had him pinned and tickled. Later after everyone had eaten and Magnus had finished his large feeding on Emma, he wouldn’t sleep until he was in his wrap on Regina as she paced.

“So, considering this new development, I thought we should all consider seeing Archie, and talking about our feelings separately and maybe as a family too,” Regina commented.

“Why can we not talk here?” Maleficent asked.

“Of course, we can, but sometimes it’s nice when someone outside the family listens. You don’t have too, but you might want to work through some of your feelings from before Magnus, how it feels to be a new mother. I know it really helped me in the beginning when I had Henry, I was often stressed and worried.”

“Yes, but you were all alone,” Maleficent told her. “I have you and Emma and Henry.” She smiled at her and they all smiled back at her. “But if you tell me it helps even though I have you, then I will go.” Regina nodded happily.

“I think I should go too, I didn’t realize how involved Magnus was going to make me, I was sort of thinking it would be closer to Henry, where you’re in charge and I hang on and back you. But I think I’m going to have my own firsthand experiences as if I gave birth to him.” They nodded.

“Good, and I will go, this is new for me too in its own way.” They looked at Henry.

“What I’m so happy right now,” Henry told them.

                “Not about being happy or unhappy Hen, maybe you don’t need to talk about us, but you might want to think about talking about sperm donor.”

                “Nope, not as long as I have Hank to bite his balls off,” Henry said patting Hank. Regina glared at him. “I mean his eggs?”

                “Testicles,” Regina corrected. Henry nodded.

                “How are testicles okay?” Emma asked.

                “Proper name for the body part,” Regina told her.

                “Okay that’s fair I guess,” Emma replied. “Anyway Hen, I think you should go, he’s scared you a few times, and you’ve been biting your nails out of anxiety. Maybe don’t you think that’s a problem?” Henry glared at her.

                “No, what I think about is if you’ll get mom pregnant or if she’ll get you pregnant next,” Henry told her.

                “Not a chance kid, I have zero wishes to be pregnant,” Emma told him. It was best she was just honest about that.

                “So, you’ll get pregnant then mom?” He asked turning to Regina.

                “You’re deflecting, and no, that’s a little too hard for me, but we’ll continue plans for adoption one day,” Regina told him. “Now I really want to give you the choice to go to Archie.” Henry huffed.

                “Yeah all right fine,” Henry said.

                “Thank you dear,” Regina told him. There was a knock on the door. Emma walked to the door and Ruby came in looking flustered and David was right behind her looking just as helpless.

                “What’s wrong?” Emma asked.

                “Archie’s been murdered,” Ruby cried.

                “What?” Henry asked looking upset. “It was sperm donor wasn’t it!”

                “We don’t know, the only witness was pongo and a drunk Leroy, and he swears he saw Regina leaving Archie’s place after an altercation on Sunday and he’s been dead five hours.”

                “Oh, that’s definitely impossible, we weren’t here until late, and even within the killing window, Regina was most definitely occupied,” Emma told them.

                “We know, we’re just at a loss of how to proceed.”

                “Just let me get dressed, I need to stay home less than Regina and Maleficent right now.”

                “Oh my God, and congratulations, Granny’s working so hard, and I’ll be over to snuggle him just as soon as this is solved,” Ruby said.

                “Don’t worry, just find out whose killed Archie, and throw Leroy in jail for being drunk that early that must be a record.” Ruby nodded.

                “I’d like to say it is, but….” She trailed off.  Emma quickly got dressed as Regina hugged Henry close as he cried.

                “Hi um…excuse me sorry to interrupt.” They all turned at the door to see an official looking woman. No one recognized her from the looks on their face.

                “Hello, how can we help you?” Regina asked. “Are you lost?”

                “No, not unless this isn’t the home of Regina Mills and Emma Swan?” She asked.

                “I’m Regina Mills, how can I help you?” Regina asked, glad she had decided to get a shirt on despite her son.  They shook hands as she came forward.

                “Hi, my name is Ms. Wallis, I’m from the Maine Social Services, oddly I have two points of business with you,” She said.

                “All right, why don’t we go to my study.” She gave Magnus to Maleficent who took him and Henry out to the backyard. David and Ruby went to go wait at his truck.

                “Sure, if Emma could join us that would be great,” She said.

                “Yeah sure, just walk straight back and I’ll grab Emma and some tea.” The woman nodded. Regina went upstairs and got Emma who looked alarmed and wanted to know why the woman was there.

                “I don’t know honestly, let’s just calmly get through this.” Emma nodded and gulped. Regina made some tea and they joined the woman in the study who was looking at her books.

                “You have quite the home library, Henry must really enjoy it.”

                “He does actually,” Regina said as they all sat down. “So, you’re here about Henry?” She nodded.

                “One of the reasons, Social services is aware of the court case being brought forth by Henry’s biological father, he is attempting to gain custody of young Henry. Does Henry know?”

                “Henry is more than aware now of the situation, as I’m sure will be soon reported by our lawyer he attempted to take Henry in the night,” Regina said.  She nodded and wrote that down.

                “All right, I have made a note of that, but as far as Henry is concerned, I just need to check on his home environment and talk to him get his opinion. That will all eventually come up in court. Also, I’d like the full story on how it is that you Ms. Swan managed to meet her biological son after a closed adoption.”

                “Truthfully, Henry was struggling with his adoption, and he was able to look me up on a statewide system. I was put into foster care as an infant as well, and it hurt me to never get closure from my parents. So, I wanted Henry to be able to get that closure, I just thought I’d be giving it when he was eighteen and not ten years old. Anyway, I came to town, ended up finding my home in this place and Regina and I decided it was best for Henry we were both in his life after speaking with a therapist.”

                “And your relationship?” She asked.

                “What about it?” Regina asked. “We’re good parents together and Henry hasn’t been this happy since before he found out he was adopted.” 

                “Yes, but see in your application for adoption, you are listed as a couple, not simply as two people who parent a child.” Regina kept her face neutral, and Emma just managed to school her features. They were both pretty sure that adoption application was sitting on her desk. Regina froze the woman, so she was unaware of anything. They looked through her stuff and sure enough there was an entire adoption application in there.

                “Wow, this shit takes months to put together and even includes Maleficent as extended family that stays with us,” Emma said. “It’s a whole book!”

                “It’s fairy magic,” Regina said as dust rubbed off on her hands. “Henry’s wish.”

                “Ah now it all makes sense, I was pretty sure social workers don’t just show up on your doorstep.” Regina shook her head. They sat back down and replaced everything. Regina released her.

                “Ah and that’s the second thing, yes, we started dating a little over six months ago,” Regina told her. “We really threw ourselves into parenting and that allowed us to get to know one another and here we are.”

                “And Henry is okay with this?” They nodded.

                “Couldn’t be happier, well unless you approved our application on the spot,” Emma joked. They all chuckled and sipped their tea.

                “Great, I’ll proceed with the home study, um…there is a woman Maleficent mentioned here no last name, she lives here?”

                “Yes, she’s an Aunt,” Emma said.

                “And who is she related too?” 

                “Both of us,” They said. 

                “She’s a friend turned family that is all, she’s never even left this town,” Regina told her.

                “How long will she be staying with the um…child, I assume you two didn’t give birth.” They shook their heads.

                “This is her home; it takes a village to raise a child and she is a new mother and prefers to be with family since her mother died and left her all alone. She’s used to family and so we’re here for her. We love her and she loves us.” The woman nodded. “And of course, Magnus is pretty attached to me, so how can I send them away.”

                “He was upset to go away from you,” She murmured as she wrote. “That’s a good thing to know that you are connecting well with other children, I see you adopted Henry at Eighteen.” Regina nodded. “Why?”

                “I lost all my family, and I knew that I wasn’t capable of having children, so I decided that I had the means and the ability to give another lonely child a home. Which is still why I want to adopt today; we have so much love in this house to give.”

                “Exactly, I was returned a few times Ms. Wallis, so if there’s a kid that’s been returned, I want to show them that there is a place they are loved and wanted,” Emma told her. She smiled at them.

                “That is one of the sincerest things I have heard from potential parents, I just have to talk to Henry for the courts, and then look around the home.” They nodded. They allowed her to talk with Henry who told her how happy he was with his moms and how Neal scared him often and had hurt Hank his new companion and gotten rid of his cats.

                “This is really hard for us, Henry has expressed interest in boys, so I’m really concerned with allowing a man like that around my son. He won’t accept him and if we just tell him and hope he goes away he won’t believe it either,” Regina told Ms. Wallis who nodded in understanding.

                “I think that’s all I need from you Henry, thank you,” She told him.

                “Please approve my moms’ though, I was hoping Auntie Maleficent would have a girl and now all I got is Magnus.” He hurried out. Ms. Wallis laughed.

                “I take it you have a preference for girls,” She said.

                “Our son really has his heart set on a little sister, but if my next son is anything like Henry, you won’t find me disappointed,” Regina told her with a smile. Ms. Wallis smiled back. They went around the house; it was clean with signs of a new baby and a twelve-year-old boy. They made Magnus’s nursery look normal while she was in there.

                “We haven’t decided yet if we will upgrade Henry and give a smaller child the smaller room, but something tells me he wouldn’t allow it, he’ll have so much room to create a castle for his princess.” Ms. Wallis nodded. Finally, though she was on her way out of town, Emma sent Ruby to make sure she crossed the town line while she went to see about Archie.

                “Well did she say yes?” Henry asked, when Regina came into the backyard. Magnus was nursing from Maleficent. She quickly created shade.

                “Babies have sensitive skin,” Regina told her. Maleficent nodded. Regina added on a larger patio over her porch swing that created good shade with a stone flooring.

                “Very nice,” Maleficent said getting comfortable on the swing.

                “No, she doesn’t decide these things right away she has to make a report, and you mister please be careful what you wish for, it seems it actually came true, we had an entire profile put together with magic.” Henry grinned but nodded that he would be more careful.

                “She’ll say yes eventually I know it,” he grinned. “Mom, who would kill Archie, he’s so nice?” Regina sighed and sat down and pulled him into her lap.

                “I really don’t know honey; I truly hope that we can find out who did this to him. Archie’s got zero enemies in this town so it must mean that someone is not a good person, they might have been a murderer before, and we just didn’t know it.” He nodded. Maleficent raised a shield.

                “Just in case,” She shrugged.

                “Don’t worry though Emma is going to find out who did this, and Archie will get justice.” He nodded. Eventually he went to nap in his hammock because it was the only thing that made him feel better. Regina brought her laptop outside and got some work done until Magnus wanted her attention and she happily gave it to him until Henry was up and stole him away.

 

 

 

 

 

 

                “Did you find out anything?” Regina asked. 

                “Just that my parents are idiots,” Emma said. “They went to Gold and got a memory spell for Pongo. He showed you killing Archie, and I had to yell that you were literally tongue deep inside of me at that hour so you couldn’t have killed him. The only part they believed was that the argument you allegedly had with Archie wasn’t real because you were definitely still over the town line and incapable of confusing me with magic.” Regina rolled her eyes super hard as she got Emma dinner. She had come back late, and she was up anyway giving Magnus his big night feeding or so she hoped.

                “Just let me kill them please,” Regina pleaded rolling her eyes at them.

                “Regina,” Emma scolded as she ate her Guisado de Pollo over rice. “And also, once again baby outstanding in the kitchen. Just when I think you can’t top yourself; you do.”

                “Thank you, so do you think Gold is manipulating them or what?” Regina asked.

                “Actually no, he seemed intrigued to know we were even out of town when the alleged altercation took place and that you were with me when the supposed murder took place. He had that look on his face that said I know something you don’t.”

                “Well either he manipulated the dog’s memories or someone else did, so if it wasn’t him and he hasn’t beat your lie detector test, then that means someone else has magic and doesn’t like me.” Emma nodded.

                “How can we find out how?” Emma asked.

                “Unfortunately, we can’t until they show their hand again,” Regina shrugged. Magnus gave a cry of protest but managed to re-secure his latch and keep eating.  “Sorry darling.” She stroked the side of his face with a smile. Emma sighed.

                “Too bad I can’t give you babies, you really are a natural mother, I’d really like to see your belly grow with our baby.” Regina chuckled at her.

                “Snow’s right you are the guy,” Regina teased. Emma chuckled and threw her napkin at her. “But it’s a nice thought to have one that is both a little bit of you and me.”

                “More you though, I’m a little jealous that Maleficent got Magnus,” Emma murmured. “But even though that little shit violated my body, I can’t help but love him.”

                “I know what you mean, we’re going to have to teach him about consent real soon, yes tomorrow instead of play time we’re going to have a talk about consent and patience love, aren’t we?” Emma chuckled.

                “He won’t understand.”

                “No, I think he understands a lot, he just can’t stay awake long to show it.”

                 “Well does he understand that he made my boobs uncomfortable and he’s not even nursing from me all the time?” Emma asked.  Regina chuckled and waved her hand.

                “I had to pump milk this evening and then the little shit wouldn’t take the bottle.” They laughed.

                “What are we supposed to do with extra milk?” Emma asked.

                “I don’t know,” Regina shrugged. “All I know is even when he’s done nursing, he’s drinking that milk one way or another for my pain.” Emma laughed and Regina helped her one-handed use the breast pump.  “We have a breastfeeding class tomorrow; he never seems to nurse too long in general.”  Emma nodded. A bit later she labeled and froze the milk and cleaned up her dinner. Magnus finished feeding, Emma took him to get his diaper changed after Regina tried a spell on her so Magnus couldn’t force her to feed him.  Eventually she joined Maleficent and Regina in their bedroom. Regina was already asleep as she rocked Magnus to sleep and put him in his bassinet with his new cream blanket and red ribbon spelling Emmanuel Magnus. She got changed and crawled into bed snuggling up to Regina. Three hours later she found Magnus suckling from her.

                “Aww kid we definitely need a talk on patience and consent tomorrow,” Emma murmured as rubbed his back. She was half awake as she waited for him to finish before she burped him. He spit up a little, so she got him changed, diaper included as he often went after a feeding. She gave him lots of kisses before she put him down, he wasn’t having it though and she walked back and forth with him.

                “Baby why didn’t you wake me if he wouldn’t go down,” Regina yawned. Emma tried to wave her off, in truth the fact that he wanted her was breaking her heart to pieces over and over because it was bursting with love.

                “No, it’s all right I’m fine, go back to bed, really,” Emma told her. Regina still got up and gave her and Magnus a kiss before going to the bathroom. Magnus was finally in his bassinet when she came back, but now it was next to Emma who had a hand resting on him. She kissed them both again, before going back to sleep. 

 

 

 

                “He’s barely a week, how can he get a shot already,” Maleficent frowned.

                “Because he needs to be vaccinated and he’s healthy, and we want him to stay that way,” Regina said as they walked towards the hospital. Regina needed to get Henry new school uniforms and his supply shopping done. She was usually on top of it, but with a new baby, work, and Emma trying to figure out who had murdered Archie, and of course the town wide funeral was just a mess in the last week.  Henry started school the next day.

                “Fine, what’s this first shot that is needed so early?”

                “Hepatitis B, it’s a serious infection of the liver that can cause cancer among other issues. If he gets it this young, he’ll always be ill. But we as adults our bodies can eventually fight it off.” Maleficent nodded.

                “In that case hurry up dear,” Maleficent replied picking up speed. Regina hurried after her. Soon they were crying with him at his first shot and kissing it all better.

                “Oh man it never gets easier to watch them get their shots,” Regina sighed. They weighed him and would have to be diligent about checking his weight once a week as they had no idea if he’d dropped his original birth weight or was gaining steadily.

                “Well he’s certainly growing hair,” Maleficent commented to the doctor. “He feels heavier too.”

                “We have to trust your instincts,” She told her. “When was he born?”

                “Last week early Monday morning,” Regina said. “August 17th.” 

                “All right so we’re nearly seven days out, I recommend checking his weight again tomorrow. He should be gaining daily by now a quarter to one ounce.” They nodded. Magnus got a preliminary clean bill of health. There so far seemed to be no lasting effects on what Cruella had done.

                “She must have mostly used the magic that is just in the shell alone, he must have sustained himself with his own power to keep her from cracking the egg, I’ve examined the remnants, and honestly was surprised she never broke through.

                “Well he’s already using magic to transport and create milk in Emma and me, so I’m not surprised my Dragon Prince is so powerful.”

                “Me either,” Maleficent smiled as she kissed her son. “Am I coming between you and Emma at all, you only have to tell me. I can move into the guest room; it won’t be so bad when Magnus is there as well.”

                “I think Emma will murder you if you left now,” Regina told her seriously. “He only goes to her at night and even if I wake up to tag her out, she refuses and says her son only wants her. He won’t sleep without her hand on him. So, believe me when I say that you don’t have to worry about coming between me and her, but maybe her and Magnus and for that she’ll fight you.” Maleficent laughed.

                “Good, I expect nothing less when it comes to our son.” Maleficent went home and Regina got Henry’s shopping done as she checked the list twice.

                “I know it was you, Neal said he saw you too,” Leroy said passing her in the store.

                “Leroy, shouldn’t you be at a bar, or are you really hunting for your first girlfriend in the kids’ section,” Regina sneered. He glared at her.

                “I would never, you know damn well I have to get my clothes here,” He shouted in outrage. Regina smirked.

                “Pity you still dress like a peasant then.” She walked away. She picked up some cute outfits for Magnus as well that she expected him to grow into.  She was getting school supplies a bit later at the pharmacy when Snow walked in looking pale, but Regina ignored her until the woman was shuffling up to her.

                “Please Mother can we talk somewhere,” Snow whispered. She sounded sick. “Please it’s about Emma.” Regina turned back around.

                “Fine, but I need to finish my shopping list first, you can wait for me outside.” Snow nodded and shuffled back to the counter where she got her prescriptions and went outside. Regina finished what she was doing and put her items in her car.

                “All right you may talk,” Regina said. Snow looked down as she was crying.

                “I’m really sorry for what we did to you and Maleficent, I swear to you if I had truly known there was a baby in there, I would never have done that. It has eaten me up inside since it happened and I’m glad it’s out in the open and I’m so glad that you found him alive if not particularly safe. I truly didn’t think he’d be put through a portal.”

                “I thought you said this was about Emma,” Regina pointed out.

                “It is, I just for all of our sakes I wanted to apologize sincerely and tell you I would deserve it if you killed me. But I can’t go on like this not talking to my family. I just wanted this pregnancy to be better and to be surrounded by love and family, and now my own stupid actions took that away when I need to be there for Emma and you with Neal trying so hard to take Henry.” She shook her head and started coughing to the point where she wheezed and then fainted. Regina just caught her in shock.

                “You killed Snow!” Leroy yelled.

                “Don’t be an idiot and call an ambulance,” Regina said as she sat Snow on the ground and gave her CPR as she was not breathing. Leroy was an idiot but thankfully his pharmacist brother was smart enough to call for help. Somehow Regina ended up in the ambulance watching them work on her. She wasn’t sure if she got in to watch her die or see if they saved her. She was breathing again by the time they arrived.

                “Um…Madam Mayor, I’m afraid you’ll need to be quarantined,” Whale said coming out of the back room while she waited for David and Emma to arrive.

                “Why?” Regina asked.

                “It seems Snow has contracted the grey sickness,” He said.

                “Fuck send out a town wide health alert,” Regina said as she was led away. They took her clothes to be burned and she was washed before given sterile hospital garments. They sterilized her phone and thankfully she still had that. She was glad she had just taken some cash not wanting to carry her purse alongside all the things from Henry.

                “Regi baby,” Emma said arriving at the window. Regina went to the window and touched it. “Are you all right?”

                “I’m fine so far, how is Snow actually doing?” Regina asked. “I can’t believe she got the grey sickness, I thought it had been magically eradicated decades before I was born.”

                “Whale has no idea, but she’s stable for now. Dad’s all suited up and by her bedside. The baby is thankfully all right so far too. I know it must have been hard but thank you for saving her life.”

                “Well I promised I wouldn’t kill her, and I didn’t want this on me, when I’m innocent. There would be no pleasure in it.” 

                “You know I’ll tell Whale to let you out you obviously aren’t sick,” Emma said groaning.

                “Just please make sure that Maleficent, Henry, and Magnus get here as well. You were with David and if he comes down with it, he might have already given it to you which means you could give it to them or I got it from you, most likely I’ll get it from her since I gave her mouth to mouth.”

                “You also were tongue deep in me again….” Emma trailed off.

                “Emma, this is serious,” Regina scolded.

                “Sorry, sorry, I’m calling Maleficent now.” Regina nodded and Maleficent picked up Henry just as news was spreading throughout town although the news as the grey sickness had taken out both Snow and Regina already and they were without a leader. Emma had to leave while Henry, Maleficent, and Magnus got processed to calm everyone. She saw them briefly before they at least got a shared room.  Henry was able to video call her and Magnus who had been cranky calmed when he heard her voice. She managed to sing him to sleep before she was going to talk to Henry some more, but Maleficent showed her he was just as knocked out as his brother. She took a photo of the two together for Regina’s new screen saver. Whale came in and took samples, but otherwise she was alone. It was around midnight the fever started.

                “Oh dear, it seems you’ve come down with an incurable sickness,” a familiar voice said. Regina opened her eyes and sat up as she wiped the sweat from her brow.  She frowned as she looked around the room, no way she’d heard her mother.

                “Ugh fucking Snow, now you’ve got me hallucinating, the last thing I need right now,” Regina grumbled.  She fell back on her bed and coughed. She called the nurse and she swore one of them looked like her mother as they hooked her up to fluids and gave her medication.

                “What is this magic?” the voice asked her. Regina opened her eyes and this time, her mother really was over her, in the same red dress she’d pushed her through the mirror in on her wedding day.  Her hand was on Regina’s forehead which was much cooler now.

                “You’re not here,” Regina said swatting away at the hand.

                “Of course, I am, Mother’s here to take care of you now that the people have forsaken you.”

                “I don’t want you or need you begone illusion,” Regina told her. She turned on her side away from the hallucination that was her mother. In the morning when she woke up her fever was down, but the illusion of Cora was still there. She grimaced as she licked her dry and now cracked lips. She noticed she was getting gray patches on her skin; this was certainly moving fast in her.

                “I suppose now that your brain isn’t addled with fever you see that Mother is here to care for you,” Cora told her.

                “No, no, no, no!” Regina screamed. “I got rid of you, you’re dead!”

                “No darling, your assassin found he and I had similar interests,” Cora told her. Regina gripped her hair as the burning sensation between her legs started, and every girl she had ever looked at had died. And she saw Emma dead. She was more than sure Cora wouldn’t take on Maleficent, but Emma was defenseless, and Henry and Magnus, they were her weaknesses as far as Cora would be concerned. 

                “How did you get here, the only way here was through the curse and you didn’t come over in the curse,” Regina said trying to calm herself enough to control her magic.

                “Oh, nothing capturing a mermaid or two couldn’t fix since you got magic here, well done dear.”

                “I can’t take credit for Gold’s work, please Mother just go back to the Enchanted forest. I don’t need you here,” Regina said.

                “Of course, you do darling, whoever will take care of you like Mother can,” Cora said. “And you’ve let the peasants get out of control I saw the way they treat you, why did you not fry that insipid dwarf?”

                “That’s not me anymore,” Regina said. “Go away and go back to the Enchanted Forest. You aren’t needed. I will beat this.”  Cora slapped Regina hard. Regina looked startled but shrank back into her bed.

                “You were always so stubborn when you were sick, no matter Mother has the antidote here, soon that damn Snow White will be dead, and you can focus on being the Queen I know you can be.”

                “I don’t want to be Queen,” Regina snapped. It was too much to be back where she had started at thirteen. Cora ignored her.

                “I’ve already gathered two women to help you keep the masses in line an Ursula and Cruella. I was pleasantly surprised to find them at the water in which I arrived. Ursula seemed quite keen to help as she owed you a debt and well Cruella has no choice if she wants us to open that portal.” Regina didn’t say anything she had wondered what had taken Ursula so long when she had been so eager to get out of there. 

                “They said if I really wanted you on top that I would collect Maleficent and your child, I’m so glad you’ve managed a good heir to the throne, dear and after you put up such a fight.”

                “What no comment about me being an abomination?” Regina asked her.

                “We’ll talk about that later dear, I’m sure it’s nothing my special cream can’t fix, but mating with a Dragon is a power move even I had not thought of. Your child shall be unstoppable under my tutelage.” Regina felt sick thinking of Magnus being taught by this woman in any way that she had been taught.  Cora waved her hand and the antidote was there.

                “Take that dear, the sickness will only come back tenfold even with this magic, they’ve given you,” Cora told her. Regina smelled it on purpose locking down all the ingredients and making sure it wasn’t poison. She drank it and immediately the patches of her skin that had turned grey during the night disappeared, her normal color returned, and her fever went away completely, and her lungs felt clear, the cough was only the beginning. Before Regina was fully recovered Cora grabbed her and they disappeared from the hospital room.  When she reappeared, they were on a boat, Storybrooke harbor. A pirate ship to be exact she noted.

                “Mother I don’t want this,” Regina said. “Let me go.”

                “Oh Regina, Regina, perhaps some time in the dark will make you an obedient girl.” She shoved her hard down a set of steps and dragged her with vines into a dark closet that forced Regina to sit knees to her chest before shutting the door. Regina tried to magic herself out, but it was useless. After a few moments of panicking and trying to remind herself she was not the same little girl who got tortured by her mother. This would have broken her before, and she’d had a long-standing fear of the dark for a long time and small spaces. The dark she had worked out, but small spaces not so much.  She tried to meditate and control her breathing she thought of her family and how she had to get to them. She thought of Henry and Magnus falling asleep together. And then it clicked, she had her phone. She had for some reason shoved it in her pocket just before she took the antidote. She pulled it out and was so glad to see she had a signal. She dialed Emma.

                “Baby not now, I’m kind of fighting a giant right now,” Emma said.

                “Emma, I’ve been kidnapped by Mother,” Regina cried.

                “Mother….” Emma was now frantic she didn’t really understand who Mother was and if Regina meant that literally, but she did understand kidnapped. “Did you see where she took you?”

                “The harbor, there’s a pirate ship, I’m trapped in a closet,” Regina said. “She’s trying to break me.” 

                “I’ll be right there, baby, fuck that giant, David can handle him with his sword,” Emma said. She ran for the harbor, telling David she had a plan and just to keep trying to push the Giant out of town into the woods. They could hunt him down out there for all she cared.  Once again, she was super glad for Regina’s morning runs, because she was not out of breath when she got there at least from running, but the panic that was running rampant through her body well you just couldn’t put a lid on that.

                “Fuck Pirate ship fuck, fuck there’s no pirate ship,” Emma said finally realizing that she’d left Regina hanging on the phone. 

                “I am definitely on one, it even smells like it,” Regina said before gagging. “Why did I take a deep nose breath.”  Emma made a face, but tried to follow her nose, there was an unpleasant scent in the air, but it didn’t lead her in anyone direction.

                “Come on Emma, look harder, you can find it, you’re just panicking,” Emma told her as she scanned the horizon. “Come on appear you son of a bitch, where are you hiding my girl!” Suddenly she could see it to her surprise, it had been right in front of her all along. She ran on looking for any sign of whomever had taken Regina but saw no one.

                “Regina!” Emma called as she went under with her gun out. It was a minute or two before Regina heard her.

                “EMMA!” Regina yelled and banged on the wall she realized; her mother had removed the door. “EMMA!”

                “REGINA!” Emma yelled. “Holy shit, are you in the wall, did they put you in the wall?”

                “Emma!” Regina yelled.

                “I’ll be right back baby.” Emma left and ran up on deck, she found an axe and ran into Ursula.

                “What are you doing here?” Ursula asked.

                “Saving Regina, what are you doing here, you were supposed to show up at our house days ago.”

                “Her mother told me we were taking over, I was going to skip town, but if her mother caught me with a debt unpaid, well,” Ursula said.

                “She’s not taking over, her mother manipulated you,” Emma told her. “Now help me if you really wanna repay your debt, you’ll take orders from her or Maleficent and not this Mother.” Ursula nodded.

                “We’d better hurry, she’s gone to try and recruit Maleficent and Cruella will be back with some people she terrorized, she wants Regina to get her feel for killing again.” Emma nodded. They went back down, and Regina was trying not to panic when Emma took too long in her opinion.

                “Baby, I’m gonna put an axe through the wall now,” Emma called.

                “Emma down here!” Regina yelled. Emma blushed and moved down a foot before she started swinging at the wall. She broke through and it broke her heart to find Regina curled up in a ball in the magically created space. She pulled her out and hugged her close.

                “We’d better go,” Ursula told them after they’d had a few moments. Emma helped Regina stand up as her legs had already started to cramp unused to being forced into that position for so long. They made their way above deck.

                “How did you get out of your punishment box?” Cora asked Regina when she appeared at the top with Emma and Ursula.

                “So, you’re the bitch that kidnapped my girlfriend,” Emma said before Regina could stop her. Cora sighed.

                “I see you have fallen back into your despicable ways,” Cora said to Regina. “No matter we will fix you.” Her hand shot out before either of them could react and Cora had plunged her hand into Emma’s chest.

                “NO MOTHER!” Regina yelled. She hurled a fire ball at her, but Cora just deflected it as vines shot up around her and Ursula.  The held her arms and legs and the last one went around her throat as she choked her to her knees. “Please don’t I love her!”

                “Foolish girl, how many times do I have to tell you that not only is that, that love false it is weakness!” Cora yelled at her.  The vine tightened around Regina’s throat as tears poured down her eyes, she was going to lose Emma and it would hurt ten times worse than Daniel ever did.

                “Regina!” Emma yelled as she groaned at Cora’s hand around her heart. “I love you!” Regina fought hard then, she couldn’t do this not again, she couldn’t lose Emma. Her hands lit on fire and she burned at the vines.

                “Time for you to go dear, I will not have you corrupting my daughter any longer,” Cora told her angrily. She pulled and to her surprise the heart wouldn’t come.

                “No,” Emma said suddenly realizing that Cora couldn’t hurt her. “My love for Regina is stronger than you.” A force knocked Cora back just as Regina got free, intending to fight her mother for Emma’s heart, but her hand was empty.

                “Baby your heart, it’s still in your chest?” Regina asked in disbelief.

                “She couldn’t take it,” Emma said.

                “What do we do with her?” Ursula asked as the vines grip loosened now that Cora was knocked out.

                “We have to contain her, somehow,” Regina said.

                “This is going to sound terrible, but you used to control Graham with his heart, maybe you need to do the same with your mother until we can build a permanent prison?”

                “Mother’s too strong willed for that, but in any case, she took her heart out before I was born, it’s not in her chest. Maybe it’s in my vault, but we’ll have to combine magic, to hold her even temporarily.

                “We?” Emma asked.

                “Emma that was straight magic,” Regina said. “You shouldn’t have even been able to hear me scream behind that wall or break it with an axe, but you did. You shouldn’t have your heart right now, but you do!”

                “But I don’t get sick over the line,” Emma said lamely.

                “You can’t react to returning to a state your body is familiar with.” Emma was at a loss as she handcuffed Cora. They took her to the Sheriff’s station and called Maleficent, who came immediately. She had hidden Magnus and Henry in Regina’s vault for the moment as Cora had been determined to recruit her.

                “I didn’t want her near Magnus, I told her I would come when I had secured your heir and talked to you firsthand. I pretended like I was your lackey really,” Maleficent told her.

                “Oh, thank God, I knew she wouldn’t chance you in a fire fight, but I was so worried for you all, Mother is just so cruel,” Regina said.

                “She’s contained for now, but uh there’s still a giant to worry about,” Emma said even though she was still staring at her hands where white magic had appeared from to seal in Cora. She’d have trouble breaking through their layers of the spell.

                “Then let’s take care of him.” They ran out only to be thrown to the ground by a giant quake.

                “I’m thinking that’s the giant,” Emma said. “Fuck I hope David is okay.” 

                “Then we’d better get to him.” Regina grabbed Emma’s hand and Maleficent’s they disappeared and reappeared a few feet from David and Leroy who were on the ground and looking at a giant hole.

                “Where did the giant go?” Emma asked.  David looked as confused as Leroy. They all approached the hole to see a now small giant hanging onto some now broken pipes.

                “Oh, for fuck’s sake now a quarter of the town is without proper sewage,” Regina grumbled.

                “Really, that’s what your concern is right now?” Emma asked.

                “Uh yeah when the smell gets unbearable and people start getting sick from not having a way to properly dispose of waste, yeah it is important.”

                 “A little help please,” He called up. Regina waved her hand and he appeared beside them in chains.

                “You destroyed my town,” Regina said.

                “Only because he destroyed my life and now some woman has kidnapped me and brought me here, you humans are destructive,” He said.

                “What have you done now?” Regina asked David.

                “Nothing it was my twin brother James, you remember him.”

                “The smarter of the two of you, but entirely too arrogant and sadistic to live long.” David nodded.

                “He along with Jack, killed his family, he’s the last giant,” David said.

                “Well where is this James, let me kill him and I’ll be on my way.”

                “He’s already dead,” David told him.

                “Wait so what the hell is your name?” Leroy asked.

                “David,” He said.

                “But not Charming,” He said. “And not James, we took over that kingdom because we thought you were James.”

                “No, I had to replace James, but I’m not cruel like him. And Charming is just what Snow calls me, Oh God Snow!” He ran off, but they didn’t stop him.

                “Look I know you’re feeling all types of angry, but James is dead, these people here, haven’t done anything to you,” Emma said. “This place is about second chances, so you can have a second chance here. Please.” He nodded.

                “I need some time to think.”

                “All right well in the meantime, how about you stay with Widow Granger, she’s a hedge witch, and I believe Giants and hedge witches are old friends.” He nodded. Regina sent him to Widow Granger after making a phone call.  She also called public works to get handle the sewage problem.

                “Come on to the vault, Snow’s sickness is magical she won’t recover, but Mother gave me the antidote.”

                “What why would she do that?” Emma asked.

                “Her intention wasn’t to kill me, just weaken me so I would need her, but she says I get too whiny when I am sick and so she gave it to me sooner. I mean if you can count refusing to do as she says as whiny.”

                “Where’s Ursula?” Maleficent asked. They returned to the police station, taking Leroy despite his protests, she was still there watching Cora.

                “I figure Cruella will be by to back her, since she’s powerful. You might want to track her down, I’m sure she’s got hostages.”

                “Forgive me if my trust isn’t one hundred percent right now,” Regina told her. “Leroy stand guard too while we help Snow, you think you cannot go get drunk?”

                “For Snow yes,” He told her as he sat down. Regina gave him his pickaxe.  

                “We’ll be back,” Regina said before disappearing with Maleficent and Emma to outside the cemetery.

                “Still can’t get used to that,” Emma said as her feet appeared on the ground again.

                “Sorry, crazy time to be poofing every two seconds.” Emma nodded as she threw up. Maleficent unsealed the vault and they went downstairs. She unsealed the not so secret room where Henry was feeding Magnus from a bottle.

                “He was really hungry,” Henry told them when Regina had picked up a second two-ounce bottle that was empty. Magnus spit up in that moment and vomited all over himself.

                “I think he’s done,” Maleficent said as she took him and got him cleaned up. Henry looked sheepish but hugged Regina and asked if she was all right.

                “I am sweetheart, but we need to make sure Snow is,” Regina said. She started pulling things off the shelf glad that Henry hadn’t touched anything, she couldn’t say the same for Emma who was looking around curiously.

                “Emma don’t you touch that bottle, we don’t need any magical mishaps,” Regina told her sternly. Emma blushed and took her hand back.  Regina was right, they had too much crap going on as it was the last thing, she needed was a magical mishap. Regina started mixing potion ingredients.

                “Is the grey sickness what killed my grandmother?” Emma asked curiously.

                “No, what Eva had was nothing anyone could recognize, she died within hours. The Grey sickness usually kills you through fever or water in the lungs. Eva was just gone.  My mother covered her tracks well, several people in the Kingdom died mostly people no one else would care about and, in another Kingdom, but honestly after that no such thing was seen again. The grey sickness has a cure, but if it’s produced magically that cure won’t do anything but aggravate the situation.”

                 “So, what Snow has even though it’s magic, it is contagious, you got it you said,” Emma pointed out.

                “I’m not sure if Mother infected me on purpose through her, or not. David isn’t sick and neither are you. Magnus should already be sick as he is the weakest among us.” Regina shrugged. It took three hours of brewing, but they finally got the antidote. She set aside four vials for her family and took the rest in a flask to the hospital. There were several people whom were ill but were grateful when Regina’s antidote was delivered. David was crying as they made it just in time to save Snow, they were going to wheel her out for an emergency c-section.

                “Snow?” Emma asked crying when she had walked in the fear that had gripped her was something she couldn’t describe; she didn’t think she was so attached to them as precarious as their relationship was.

                “Emma you saved us,” She said.

                “No, Regina did, she made the antidote for you, if she hadn’t gotten sick her mother wouldn’t have shared the antidote with her and she made it for you and other people you came into contact with,” Emma said.

                “Mother, you got me to the hospital?” Snow asked.  Regina rolled her eyes, why couldn’t she go back to Regina. She had put a dagger in her pregnant belly, wasn’t that enough reason to drop the title?

                “I did, but only cause if you die from suspicious means I want the credit,” Regina told her crossing her arms.

                “I love you too,” Snow told her. Regina made a face.

“I’m still upset.”

                “Can we just do a clean slate, we need to deal with Cora, and she’ll see that we’re fractured and take us down,” Emma pointed out. “Love is our greatest weapon against that woman.”

                “Cora she’s back?” Snow gulped. 

                “Yes, and you are not to speak to her, she has a way of weaseling things out of you,” Regina reminded. “But Emma is right a united front is what we need, and we need a way to contain her.”

                “What about something like what we built for Rumple,” David suggested.

                “No, time she’s smart with time she’s going to break out of the jail,” Maleficent commented.

                “Again, what about her heart, I mean you’re the strongest willed person I know surely you can control her Regina,” Emma said.

                “Thank you, but my mother is more so, I learned that the hard way several times, I’m not about to make that mistake again.” She looked at Maleficent who was lost in thought. “You have an idea Mal?”

                “An old one, can your mother see magic?” Maleficent asked.

                “Not without casting a spell,” Regina replied. Maleficent nodded.

                “There is an ancient Dragon spell that allows us to take someone’s magic, we could split it between the three of us. She’ll be powerless and no amount of practice will get her magic back. Short of killing the Dark One and that is unlikely, so once she’s powerless you can lock her up and dare, I say even give her heart back, so she really suffers.”

                “It just might work,” Regina said. “We could put protections up to keep her from leaving the house, but it will most certainly be an all-out battle to recapture her inside.”

                “Wait you’re not corrupting Emma with that crazy one’s magic,” David said.

                “I can’t corrupt her, Emma is made from true love magic, no amount of dark magic except maybe the Dark One’s magic is going to corrupt her. Magic itself in its purity can go either direction. Emma uses light magic and therefore it will conform to her.”

                “Emma has magic?” Snow asked. Emma looked sheepish.

                 “Yeah, turns out I do, Cora tried to take my heart, but it wouldn’t let her, she was blasted back by it.”

                “But she always goes over the line just fine,” David pointed out.

                “Because her body was used to not having magic, and she hadn’t accessed it before today. She may react differently next time,” Regina told him.

                “Wow Mom that’s so cool,” Henry told Emma.

                “Really Henry,” Regina said.

                “What you do cool things when you don’t use it for Evil, why not Emma?” He asked.

                “Just saying a little opposition would be nice to keep things even,” Regina told him. He held up his hands defensively.

                “Emma no bad magic,” He told her sternly. “You’re only allowed to do cool stuff.”

                “Yes sir,” Emma told him as Regina rolled her eyes at them both.

                “We’d better go, she will be furious when she wakes, and we’ll need to put on an elaborate scheme so that she drinks the potion.” They nodded.

                “Well then Emma, David, and Snow you track down Cruella, I’ll kill her in front of Mother, that will make her think that I’m actually playing you three, Henry and Magnus will return to the vault where Henry you will feed him every four hours so you don’t over feed him again.” Henry blushed.

                “I swear he said he was hungry, he cried so much,” Henry pouted.

                “It’s all right, you are twelve you can’t know everything,” Maleficent told him. They split up and once the children were secure. Regina and Maleficent went home and used chalk to draw symbols into the floor with Regina following Maleficent’s directions exactly.

                “Man, you are the best student ever,” Maleficent said looking at Regina’s work. Regina grinned as they covered it with magic. They replaced the dining room table and Regina created an elaborate meal while Maleficent made the potion.

                “Here’s to hoping your mother has not developed your sense of smell,” Maleficent said. Regina nodded they took their own versions of the potion and gave the third to Emma.

                “You bring Cruella in when I call, I want mother to think I have your heart,” Regina told her.  Emma nodded. They had captured Cruella after unfortunately having to injure some poor innocent dogs that were now at the hospital and would hopefully recover not only from the magic, but the bullets or arrows from Snow. Emma had to appreciate her aim, because David was useless with a gun or a bow it seemed. And Regina had once referred to him as swinging his sword around like an ape, so she wondered how good his swordsmanship was.

                 “Don’t speak in front of your Queen,” Emma told Cruella as she made noise beside them. She was of course gagged and bound. Regina left them in the study and soon she heard a startled Cora.

                “Mother welcome to dinner,” Regina said standing at the head of the table. Maleficent stood on her right and Ursula was now standing one seat down on her left.

                “What is this, you blocked my powers and now you’ve trapped me here in this house.”

                “This house is your daughter’s home, the home of our son,” Maleficent told her. “Sit now Mother, it’s time for dinner, we had to make those stupid Charmings think we weren’t on your side.”

                “And their offspring?” Mother asked.

                “Thinks for herself,” Emma said dragging in Cruella. Regina hadn’t called for her out loud but tugged at her in a way that she knew she would enter and stand strong on her own.

                “Like I told you mother, I didn’t need you, I have made allies, and unfortunately you gave too much power to a lackey who doesn’t know her place. She attempted to kill your grandson, your precious heir for thirty years, you see his egg escaped the curse and she tried to kill him and take his power. But he was so strong she got nothing from him, only the youth his shell could give.”

                “Well then I hope her death is the main entertainment at this dinner,” Cora said.

                “It is, would you like to see her die, before or after you eat?” Emma asked. She had zero qualms about Cruella dying after she threatened to make sure that Hank tore Henry and Magnus to pieces.

                “Before, I don’t trust you yet Regina, I hardly recognized you, just when I thought you were learning,” Cora said. Regina pulled out a dagger and slit Cruella’s belly, she’d bleed out over twenty minutes.  Emma dropped her in a corner without another glance. Regina didn’t let her blood spill on her floor though.

                “I don’t want her blood staining my carpets,” Regina told her mother as she wiped her dagger off.

                “Very well,” Cora said finally taking her seat. “Why are you still keeping me from leaving?”

                “Because it’s time you realized that I’m in charge here, this is my world, my creation,” Regina told her. “I love you mother and you are welcome to rule by my side but just a step under me. Did you or did you not want me to be Queen?”

                 “And this love you have for this woman?” Cora asked with distain.

                “Not real, it’s just for my parents benefit,” Emma told her as she began to eat. Regina and Maleficent did as well. Ursula stayed quiet; she wasn’t important enough to speak here. But she ate her food. It was a long moment before Cora finally picked up her spoon and ate her soup.

                “You had a servant make my favorite dear,” She said. Regina nodded.

                “A welcome to Storybrooke gesture,” Regina said as she could already feel her mother’s magic seeping away from her. Her mother of course drank her tea, they had been prepared for the fact that maybe she wouldn’t eat. Once she had drank the whole cup, they knew she knew. They just kept eating as if she wasn’t gasping and shaking as the symbols finally lit up with the power transfer except Ursula and Emma had also paused. When the light finally faded Regina stood up a wooden box in her hand.

                “Welcome to my world Mother, the land without magic,” Regina said as she took out Cora’s heart. Cora’s eyes went wide as she thought that her daughter might crush her heart, instead she put it back inside of her.

                 “Love is weakness,” She grunted out even as she felt her emotions for the first time since before Regina was born.  Regina bent down.

                “You misunderstand, you see now that you’re fully intact, I can make your life heaven or hell through my curse, I can give you a curse identity if I want. For now, though you’re going to visit my friend at the psychiatric ward, until I figure out the best way to deal with you for threatening my sons and my girlfriend. Welcome to Storybrooke, Mother.” Cora’s eyes went wide, she may have been feeling a certain way, but Regina knew right there, that she would never have her mother’s approval of whom she loved. She waved her hand and Cora was set up in her cell at the psych ward and completely weak against Nurse Ratchet. Cruella, they burned her body to ashes and sent it through a portal back to the Enchanted Forest.

                “I did tell her, I’d get her home,” Regina shrugged.

                “What about me?” Ursula asked.

                “Stay awhile, enjoy this world with your magic,” Emma shrugged as they walked away.

                “Look out for her pirate friend, he might aid her thinking she still has magic!” Ursula called after them. Emma acknowledged her before they disappeared.

**Author's Note:**

> Please leave a review.


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